The NHS hosts the UK’s first dedicated boxing gym through a 10-year partnership with Off The Ropes.
Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust provides the long-term base at Goldie Leigh, supporting mental health and neurological services.
The facility allows charity trainers to deliver non-contact boxing for inpatients and outpatients across South East London.
Boxing Supports Mental Health
Founder Warren Dunkley, a former boxer and occupational therapist, uses boxing to help patients with severe mental illness.
Trainers build relationships with clients through pads and drills, boosting motivation, physical health, and social interaction.
Boxing helps reduce depression, anxiety, aggression, and improves self-esteem, concentration, and self-agency, according to research studies.
Gym Promotes Social and Life Skills
Clients gain trust, stability, and purpose through structured boxing sessions, enhancing social connections and routine.
Participants improve fitness, increase weekly activity, volunteer, or explore employment opportunities while integrating into wider society.
Dunkley emphasizes boxing’s role as a therapeutic anchor, helping individuals achieve personal goals and reconnect with community life.
