DOZENS of youngsters traded their buckets and spades for boxing gloves at a leading holiday park as part of a community gym’s drive to boost children’s self-confidence, focus and lifestyle.

Toe2Toe Fitness, a not-for-profit gym based in Holywell, took the boxing ring to the popular family site Lyons Robin Hood in Rhyl this summer in a bid to encourage youngsters to take up martial arts.

The free event held for holiday makers and holiday homeowners alike was gym owner Matt Inskip’s way of “giving back to the community,” while demonstrating to parents how martial arts can increase focus, self-worth and boost productivity and engagement.

He said: “It’s our goal as a not-for-profit organisation to reach out to wider communities, from visiting tourists to those who frequently holiday on the coast, and spread the message of just how beneficial martial arts can be to youngsters.

“We reached out to Lyons Holiday Parks due to their reputation as a well-known tourism brand who are all about engaging and supporting the community, plus their wealth of large facilities.

“We shared the event on Facebook and like anything on social media, it went viral. So many kids turned up which was a delight to see, and it meant we were able to give some boxing tips and pointers to more children and families than ever before.”

The 40 plus budding boxers spent the session learning coordination, focus exercises, basic padding and spotting, as well as general fitness and endurance.

Martin Mugglestone, entertainment and activity lead at Lyons Robin Hood said: “It was great that we were able to work alongside this local sports and community hub in order to offer something different to our guests.

“It was certainly a hit with families, and the feedback we got from parents was fabulous. Especially with the ongoing restrictions, it was wonderful to see children gather indoors without a care in the world and learn from this international boxing champion in a safe space.”

The Leader previously reported on Toe2Toe’s latest success of installing a mobile defibrillator in memory of Holywell mum Laura Newsome, who passed away aged 38 from SADS.

Matt said taster boxing sessions such as this coincides with the gym’s community engagement and outreach plan, to boost local morle and bring people together while supporting local business, residents, and tourists.