Coaches at a boxing club that offers training to people with Parkinson’s disease are expanding their offer, inviting any adults with brain injuries to take part.
Sheffield City Boxing, based in Sharrow, were initially given funding by England Boxing, which had run non-contact sessions for Parkinson’s patients throughout the country.
When the three-month funding trial finished, coach Brendan Warburton decided to continue the sessions, and extend the offer to dementia and stroke patients.
Warburton said: “We’ve got a great community here. I had to keep it going. Nobody is being punched on the nose. We work on balance and coordination drills between your hands and your feet.”
The coach, who opened the gym on the site of the old Sharrow Junior School in 2010, said the sessions were all about “positivity”.
“As the late great Brendan Ingle used to say about his club, ‘nobody comes in here and gets worse’, people come in here and feel better.”
Boxing coach Brendan Warburton runs Sheffield City Boxing [Simon Thake/BBC]
Karen Young is a full-time carer for her husband Alan.
He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2019 and dementia in 2022 which has left him with stilted speech.
Although they have been married for 46 years, after the diagnosis in 2019 she said life had become “harder and harder”.
“Your world gets smaller,” she said.
“Somebody asked me what we did together as a married couple.
“I realised that all we did was go to the hospital together.
“So when I saw that Parkinson’s UK advertised this, I knew we had to go and it is the highlight of my week and Alan’s as well.
“Non-contact boxing is excellent for his brain health. It helps all those neurotransmitters in the brain, dual tasking and following instructions.”
Ian and Beverley Saunders attend the sessions together. Ian was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2023 [Simon Thake/BBC]
Anna Castiaux is the Physical Activity Programme Lead at Parkinson’s UK.
“Non-contact boxing has many benefits for people living with Parkinson’s,” she said.
“It can aid balance, coordination and strength, as well as reducing the risk of falls and improving fitness levels.
“As well as boosting wellbeing, physical activity groups like this are also vital from a social perspective.
“Parkinson’s can be very isolating for both those diagnosed and their loved ones, so finding a community and getting active together can be really positive and fun.”
Karen Young is a full-time carer for her husband Alan. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2019 and dementia in 2022 [Simon Thake/BBC]
Another couple who have benefitted from the sessions are Ian and Beverley Saunders.
Ian was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2023 and his wife admitted that it was getting to a stage when it was easy for him to “sit and do nothing”.
“It’s been an absolute lifeline for both of us,” she said.
“We’re not expected to be getting in the ring with Muhammad Ali next year or anything daft like that,” joked Ian.
“I’ve definitely improved my strength and coordination although I still trip over the rope ladder every week.”
Last November Beverley watched Ian march with his fellow British Legion members at a ceremony at Crystal Peaks in Sheffield.
“It was the proudest day of my life,” she said.
Ian had previously refused to take part.
“I was worried I’d fall over,” he said.
“These boxing sessions have given me so much confidence.”
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