Our History

In 1992 four serving Metropolitan Police officers wished to address the growing problem of young people roaming the streets of London’s inner city areas. The idea of opening gymnasiums in order to attract these youngsters into the disciplined, friendly and structured environment of a sports centre was conceived.

 

Their first Police Community gymnasium was located within the then, Metropolitan Police, 7 Area Headquarters, The Mall, Kenton.

 

A great deal of thought was put into identifying an activity that would be attractive to these youngsters. After considerable research, Amateur Boxing was felt to be the ideal vehicle to attract the specific groups they wished to target. They enlisted the help of correctly trained coaches who shared the aims of the officers and opened the doors of the gymnasium.

 

This club proved to be an instant and resounding success.

 

Placed as it was, within a police establishment with limited space and access times, the founders were surprised by the number of youngsters who came forward to join. It rapidly became apparent that the complex at the police headquarters was too small. A new location was urgently required.

 

In 1993, in partnership with Brent Council, a fire damaged gymnasium was identified in Harlesden, London. This premises was ideal.

 

It would not be discourteous to the residents of this area to state that here, at that time, was a centre of inner city deprivation, plagued by unemployment and crime and populated by families who cried out for a facility where their children would be safe, learn discipline, and obtain a purpose in their lives, together with participating in sporting activities. We provided that facility.

 

Present Day

Since 1999 our emphasis has been on the introduction of multi-activities within each club. These include seminars/talks on drug awareness, personal safety, racial awareness, personal health issues, first aid, bullying and truancy. Other community-based activities include homework classes and the awareness of minority groups.

 

In many cases, the clubs now concentrate on direct partnerships with local authorities seeking to complement their local Crime Reduction Strategies by engaging our clubs, thereby reaching those children and young people who would otherwise be involved in crime.

 

An initiative that was taken up in 2002 was the introduction of the ‘Community Clubs’ concept into schools and Youth Offending Teams. Through Police Officers who work in schools and Youth Offending Teams, we continue to forge partnerships.

 

Whilst amateur boxing was the initial vehicle which gave this organisation its foothold, we now seek to form clubs based on a wider range of sports and community activities. The over-riding principle shall at all times remain, that we shall seek to enhance the lives and life skills of our children and young people. In this way they shall be better citizens with heightened ‘community awareness’.

 

Expanding the Concept

Building on the success of the London project, the founding officers looked beyond the Metropolitan Police district and approached other interested police colleagues throughout the country and the concept of a network of Police Community Clubs was enthusiastically taken up.

 

Together with the existing clubs, new clubs were formed who were willing to embrace the aims and objects of the organisation. There are now many such clubs throughout Great Britain including London, Greater Manchester, Bradford, Lancashire, Newcastle, Leeds, Barnsley, Liverpool, Hull, Cambridge, Sheffield and Bristol.

 

All our clubs are clearly identified as Police Community Clubs and all have a serving or retired police officer or member of the Home Office within their respective committees. This to ensure continued monitoring and adherence to our aims and objects.