A local Hero gets noticed

I did an interview for BBC sport for a feature about the Lochend Boxing and Fitness Club that was launched this year. Its been a huge success and Terry McCormack who has been the driving force is, in my view, a real hero.

The club is Terry's vision. He came to see me at my surgery in late 2006 to ask if I could help get him premises. I have to say I am not a boxing fan but here was a local guy prepared to open a club 5 nights a week that focuses on fitness and well-being for kids, not just come to me and complain about them. So who was I to dump my hangups on him. So I worked away at getting premises and managed to achieve a lease on an old scout hut that I had been trying to get for ages.

Terry and his team took over and got the place looking great. We held a public meeting becuse some locals were unhappy and Terry charmed them. He said “I just want to be a good neighbour!

The club opened in the Summer this year. The first night the club was overflowing with kids of all ages and that's still the case

There are kids in that club who have never made a good choice in their lives. Now they are turning up, training, working hard and choosing not to do daft things that wind others up. he’s introduced fitness classes for girls and I hear there’s to be activities for older people also.

I still don’t like boxing as an idea but what Terry and his team has done has create something that's about taking care of the whole person. Its a privilege to have had in some small part helped make something like this happen.

I let you know when the features are to be broadcast