A Big Thank You from The One Show

Local sporting club, Monkstown Boxing Club has shone a light on our Borough once again as one of their volunteers received a surprise ‘Big Thank You’ from BBC’s The One Show.
 
Craig Bowers, who has been a member of Monkstown Boxing Club for 10 years, was featured on The One Show last night (Thursday 18 March) as part of their ‘One Big Thank You’ initiative in recognition of the volunteering work he carried out during the pandemic.
 
Progressing from boxing into the club’s Young Men’s Project, Craig is now a young leader at Monkstown Boxing Club and recently took part in their International Mission to South Africa where he volunteered in orphanages with some of the country’s most vulnerable children. As a result of Covid-19, Craig was furloughed from his job as an apprentice welder and decided to dedicate his time to volunteering with the club’s Covid Response Service. He worked across a wide range of areas including food preparation, foodbank deliveries, dog walking, garden maintenance and mentoring other young people.
 
Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Jim Montgomery said;

“Our Borough is blessed with so many amazing volunteers who work tirelessly to improve life for others in the community. It was fantastic to see Craig being recognised at a national level for all his hard work over recent months. He is no stranger to receiving credit for his volunteering, having being awarded the Young Volunteer award in 2018 at the Council’s Spirit of Volunteering Awards."

"This is not the first time Monkstown Boxing Club’s work has been highlighted either – in 2019 they were the first Boxing Club in Northern Ireland to receive the Queen’s Voluntary Award - the highest award that can be granted to an organisation in recognition of the outstanding work of volunteers." 

“Craig is a real hero and a fantastic role model for young people. We are extremely proud of him and all that he has achieved and wish him and Monkstown Boxing Club every success for the future.”