Photo essay: Lessons for Britain from a Boxing Gym

In collaboration with London-based photographer Gray Lee Brame, the Boxing is Love team went to London Community Boxing, to speak to a few young boxers and Head Coach Chris Lodge to explore how boxing offers a rare counter-example In a world where difference is too often used to divide.

Inside this community focused gym in South London, young people practise values our public life too often forgets: care without judgement, effort without exploitation, learning through mistakes, and responsibility for the person next to you. Here, difference is not tolerated but understood as the foundation of belonging.

These portraits, containing first hand quotes, imagine what Britain might look like if it mirrored the world these young boxers have built within four walls.

Through this campaign, we explore how much we can learn from places that are too often overlooked, and the values we stand for as a community in boxing.

Meet 16 year old Elijah

Originally from Nigeria, Elijah said that he was a really ‘flaccid kid’ growing up, lacking care for himself, but he had this ‘fighting feeling’. His brother told him that he needed discipline as he frequently ‘got involved with street fighting and drugs’. To which he responded, “You can’t just have discipline, you need to earn discipline.” For him, boxing is love and passion. The effort that he put into boxing is in everything that he does outside boxing, always putting in 110%

He said, “LCB, as its name suggests, is all about community; we do not tolerate any hate or anything like that. It's about being a family, it’s like another home to me.”

Boxing teaches them to give 110%, to learn from bad days, and to translate discipline into school, friendships, and life choices. But it also pushes a deeper question, what if the political and social institutions around them put in the same effort?

“There will be a lot more effort. Look at the political effects, look at the economic effects, if putting effort in was in place, because most of the things thats going on in the world, they are not really putting effort into, look at the politics, look at the government. People who put effort in, you will receive a lot more” - Elijah, age 16

When everyone — individuals, communities, and institutions, puts effort into caring for each other, change becomes possible. It's not about one’s own effort, but about building a world where governments, schools, and communities invest the same energy into young people that these boxers invest in themselves and each other. That mutual effort can challenge how politics operates and how government serves communities.

Meet 16 year old Mark

Mark struggled with confidence due to weight management before coming to LCB. After coming here, he said that LCB is a place where he can work on himself, where he feels comfortable being himself and ultimately to be more confident in himself.

When asked what he would say to someone walking into the gym for the first time, he said, “A lot of people who come here are from many different backgrounds, and some have English as their second language, and I would tell them that everyone here is your friend, and will welcome them with open arms.”

“It would be a lot more loving place. If everywhere was just like what I said about this gym, everywhere would be a lot more loving and caring, and everyone would be able to see each other face to face, instead of looking at each other’s differences, and accept and embrace everyone’s differences." - Mark, age 16

Meet 22 year old Shuieb

Shuieb moved to London from Afghanistan in 2017. He calls himself a ‘troublemaker’, someone who often gets into conflicts with the police. After spending 7-8 months on a mental health programme, he met Chris Lodge, head coach of LCB, which made him feel at home instantly. He said: ‘LCB makes me feel like im part of a family, just like every other young person here.’

Since then, this ‘troublemaker’ would act like he was having a good day even if he wasn't, just to make other people feel welcomed in the club and make them feel happy.

“I believe this place is for everyone, no matter where you come from, what your sexuality, what your religion, everyone is welcome here.”

“I think there would be more peace and tranquillity in this country...Let's say if the support that I am getting at the gym, if the country were supporting young people like this, I don’t think there would be any knife crimes, or domestic violence or anything like that, because if anyone is getting support like this, they will be able to achieve quite a lot in their lives” - Shuieb, age 22

Meet London Community Boxing Head Coach

Chris is the head coach of London Community Boxing. He was encouraged to go to a boxing gym, “like a lot of kids, to take a bit of edge off some behaviours that might be going in the wrong direction.” He fell in love with boxing since then, and has been officially coaching for more than 20 years. He is now an England Boxing Level 3 coach and came to London Community Boxing due to its ethos in serving the local community. 

For these young boxers (the portraits), the gym is where they confront failure, fear, frustration, and grow from it. They imagine what it would look like if Britain took the same approach: less shouting, more listening. Less blame, more reflection.

In these faces and stories, the editorial uncovers a powerful lesson: progress starts with the courage to confront what went wrong, whether in boxing or in society.

“Learn how to have a bad day in the gym.

Yeah that's important. In boxing gyms up and down the country, coaches don't just teach the jab; they are the first example of trust and accountability a young person may ever know. You see that boxing ring, in there you'll find a fierce critic but also your best teacher...

You simply can't put spin on fatigue, courage and effort. They are absolute and humbling truths. 

It's common today to see influential people refusing to admit mistakes. They might think it makes them look weak, cost them votes or likes. A bad day in a boxing gym is about taking ownership of your flaws so you can fix them. There's probably a useful lesson in there somewhere ! - Chris Lodge, Head Coach

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