Boxing clever to raise funds for move

Gianni Caton, Mathew Lindsay and Saili Fiso, in training for the Flaxmere Boxing Academy's 24-hour skipathon. Photo / Paul Taylor

Flaxmere Boxing Academy members are skipping home tomorrow with the region's first 24-hour skipathon.

Academy head coach Craig McDougall said it had put an offer on one of the few suitable properties for a gym in Flaxmere, a predominantly residential suburb.

"That's why we ended up in Stortford Lodge two years ago," he said.

"The concept for the month of September is for us to have the Flaxmere Boxing Academy move home, so we are trying to raise money so we can get into our own building."

The academy has entered the Vodafone New Zealand Foundation's World of Difference Programme's fundraising competition.

If all goes to plan the academy will be back in Flaxmere in the new year but first it must raise funds.

The 90 academy members will be rostered on over the 24-hour skipathon and members of the public are welcome to join in at the Hastings clock tower in the centre of town from 4pm tomorrow.

"During this time there will be music, coffee carts, drinks, sausage and bacon sizzles," two-times New Zealand light heavyweight boxing champion Mr McDougall said.

"There will be boxing demonstrations, fun learn-to-box sessions, massage, haircuts, celebrity challenges and skipping competitions for the experienced and the I'll-give-it-a-go person."

Inter-business challenges and a school long-rope jump off are organised.

The foundation is helping raise funds through corporate events in the main centres.

"We also have a TradeMe website where people are donating prizes and we put them on for $1 reserve, whether it be a restaurant voucher in Hawke's Bay or the guy in Christchurch who said he would take out a bunch of people fishing in Akaroa for the day."

Mr McDougall was Hawke's Bay Today's Person of the Year for 2013, in recognition of the life-changing impact he is having on at-risk youth.

He took a sabbatical from his job as a fireman to run the academy and, thanks to a foundation community salary grant, his sabbatical was extended.