A BOXING club which has trained fighters for almost half a century has been saved after a potentially crippling £6,000 water leak was fixed for free.
Cwmbran Boxing Club, based on Wayfield Crescent, reported a problem with its water pipe in October.
Welsh Water came out twice to try to find the source of the leak, but without success - and the club was then told by a contractor that the repair would cost £6,000.
Coach Keith Jefferies took over the club when it opened 49 years ago, and feared that when it closed its doors for the Christmas break, it could be for the final time.
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“Welsh Water looked for the leaks on two occasions, but they couldn’t find it, so handed it over to us. They have a rule where they can only come out for the same thing twice," he said.
“They gave us four possible areas they thought it would be. As a club, we dug up those areas, but couldn’t find the water pipes. We didn’t know what to do. You can’t just keep digging forever.
“I contacted a contractor and they came down and had a look at the area. We just couldn’t find the line.
“We had a quote for over £5,000 plus VAT. Being a small boys club we don’t have that sort of money.
“We may have had to close for a few months while we raised the money.”
Keith Jefferies, who has coached at Cwmbran Boxing Club for 49 years
The club’s plight was shared on social media, and former WBA Light Welterweight champion Gavin Rees, who now runs Pantside ABC in Newbridge, got in touch with Nathan Jenkins of Valley Water and Utility Services to ask if he could help.
As a keen boxing fan, Mr Jenkins said they would help the club find and fix the leak.
“Our team received a call about a leak at the premises,” said Mr Jenkins. “I think the job would’ve cost about £6,000.
“When it came to my attention that the club wouldn’t be able to afford it, I said we should offer to do it for free.
“Boxing is close to my heart, and we always want to help out as much as we can. We used to sponsor Nathan Cleverley, and now sponsor Kody Davies, Kieran Jones and Craig Evans.
“The last thing we want to see is a boxing club being forced to close down when there is something we could have done.
“I don’t think these little boxing gyms get enough support. You could have a potential world champion training out of one of these gyms.
“I just wanted to help out.”
Nathan Jenkins, of Valley Water and Utility Services, with two-time light-heavyweight world champion Nathan Cleverly. Picture: Nathan Jenkins
The club has about 50 members, with around 25 to 30 boxers training at a time. The young boxers pay £3 to train four nights a week.
After the leak had been fixed, Mr Jefferies said: “I can’t thank them enough. Without Nathan and his company and workers coming up trumps for us, I don’t know where we could have been.
“They have put a new line in from the mains to the club and hasn’t charged us at all. It’s fantastic.
“I said to Nathan, before you start working, we are only a small boxing club and we don't have a lot of money, so how much would it cost? He said: 'I haven't asked you for any money.'
“There’s not many people out there like that.”
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