As part of our cultural, leisure and learning programme the Park and Palace hosts a series of weekly, year-round, activities run for and by the local community.
Arlene Brown is director of Elite Family Genius Foundation CIC that runs Ally Pally Boxing Club, which takes place every week inside our Transmitter Hall. Continuing the long legacy of boxing here the Palace, Arlene took time to chat to us about the club, its participants and the benefit boxing can have.
How long has the boxing club been going for? EFG Ally Pally Boxing Club has officially been an England-affiliated boxing club for a year. We were given the certified go-ahead in August 2023, but boxing has been a part of our lives for well over 20 years. Head Coach Pepe first became a coach in the noughties, whilst still boxing himself and has helped coach both his own children to achieve champion status.
Who can attend and when are the sessions? We currently run sessions on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays in the Transmitter Hall. On the weekdays, sessions for 7–11-year-olds run from 5-6 pm with older children and young adults coming in from 6 -7.30 pm. We invite over 25’s to come and use the gym from 7.30 onwards. On Saturdays, we operate an open session from 1.30 pm, where members can come and use the equipment. We also take personal appointments on Saturdays, where people can book a one-to-one session with one of our coaches.
What are the benefits of boxing for participants? Boxing is a very beneficial sport in many areas that can be tailored to each individual. Whether you start boxing to get fit or to build confidence or learn a new skill, the outcome will always bring about a positive change. Boxing allows room for self-discipline as well as self-growth by combining the understanding of the limits you can push your body to, alongside the control and awareness of your emotions in a sport that at the elite level, takes a lot of focus and determination.
What does a boxing training session look like – talk us through what people do? All our sessions start with a warm-up to get mobilised and focussed. Our training sessions are tailored to suit the abilities and ages of our members, while still delivering the main components of a boxing class. Our 7-11 class focuses on teaching the fundamentals of boxing while making it a fun learning experience, whereas our young adults’ sessions build boxing skills slowly, introducing them to sparing once ready – consisting of drills, pad work, bag work, cardio and technical drills.
How does it feel to be boxing in the Palace and does the history of the sport at the venue add anything additional to the club? It feels amazing to be using a space inside the Palace. We have been outside and used the grounds of Ally Pally for over 20 years to train. It is the best training ground in London because of the many different terrains. We utilise all the different aspects of the grounds and to be able to come inside is just wonderful. The long history with boxing that Alexandra Palace has adds to the magic and it has bought a lot of focus and recognition towards the club. To join with the mission of the Palace and capitalise of the hidden history that it holds is inspiring. We have seen the black-and-white footage and photos from the 1900s, and on our own journey to establish a club, we were told by the England Boxing official that gave us clearance, that he himself used to train at the boxing club in Alexandra Palace that was established in the nineties, by the father of soul singer Kenny Thomas Jr. Dan O’ Sullivan, who has been a part of England Boxing and the police force for well over 30 years, fondly recalled his days as a young amateur boxer, in the club which was set up in the same Transmitter Hall we use today, and told us stories of how the young singer used to stand in the boxing ring and practice singing! It is incredible to think we are now continuing the legacy of boxing at the Palace.
What are your ambitions for the future? We hope to build a long-lasting legacy at Alexandra Palace for the people of Haringey and London. This mission started many years ago and the links we have built with the community over the years has really supported our purpose. As well as the boxing club, we have always run projects in creation, and in 2013 we carved a 15ft community totem pole, which stood for five years on Alexandra Palaces’ south slope and in 2018 we carved the sundial that currently stands in The Philosophers Garden in nearby Priory Park. We regularly run creative learning projects such as Broomstick Racers which is a make-and-race-your-own wooden car activity; and the Tribe Life Creations Stall, which is where we showcase our artwork and sell hand-crafted items to raise money. These projects help to not only raise funds for the club but are also a way to educate the young people and families we work with and build skills in technology, woodwork and creation. These projects are also designed to be a form of work experience, to help young people gain customer service experience and improve their future life skills. All our projects in creation are helped by wood donated from the forest at Highgate woods, they have supported us for years and we are thankful for their continued support. We hope to expand on all our projects and really become an integral part of the People’s Palace.
Discover more: Arlene spoke to sound artist Jessica Sammut, who recorded a series of interviews and soundscapes to celebrate activities in the Palace’s Transmitter Hall.
