Ex-world boxing champion targets Eastwood clean-up

Ingle was renowned for using sport to mend divisions and instil pride in the Sheffield neighbourhood of Wincobank, sending his young fighters out to pick up litter, pull weeds and talk with local residents, teaching respect, responsibility and the value of giving something back to the area they called home.

Now Rotherham's Junior Witter - who trained under Ingle in Sheffield - is considering ways to do something similar in Eastwood.

Witter, who is currently moving from one unit to another on the Eastwood Trading Estate, Chesterton Road, is disappointed with the state of parts of the suburb.

The Advertiser revealed recently how thousands of pounds of ratepayers' cash was being poured into cleaning up rubbish-strewn and rat-plagued streets and alleyways.

Sofas, TVs, mattresses, prams, furniture, food containers and white goods are left alongside open bags of domestic rubbish for the council to remove.

Witter, who travels to the gym every day from his Parkgate home, wants the community to deal with the problem itself, along with help from his gym and partners.

"We want to help in the community. Some streets look pretty rough but others are Ok, with some really nice people living there.

"It is not right to dump stuff on the streets, whoever you are.

"You see good quality furniture dumped here - many people here don't have thousands to spend on a sofa so you wonder where it comes from.

"People from other areas see what has happened and take advantage and bring their rubbish in vans here" said Witter, who was WBC super-lightweight world champion from 2008 to 2009.

"They think no one will notice and they will get away with it. It is not right," said the 52-year-old.

"It is weird what some people do. I have never understood it. There are recycling centres for this."

He acknowledges that fingers have been pointed at one section of the community.

"A lot of people are misunderstood. It is only when people mix properly that things can get better. Unfortunately negativity which is projected nationally doesn't help people working together locally."

The situation reminds the boxing coach of his days at the Ingle fight camp.

"We'd love to do what Brendan used to do - take people out litter picking and making an impact on the community.

"It is one of our goals to help, once we get everything running smoothly in the new gym."

Eastwood has faced long-running challenges linked to deprivation and poor housing.

"There isn't a better place for a boxing club to help than Eastwood" said Junior.

"We want to get kids involved and have partners and businesses willing to help.

"Our ethos is wherever you are living, keep your area clean - that's what we tell our kids in the gym. Their neighbourhood should be kept clean by them...for them.

"There are a lot of different avenues we are looking at. It worked in Wincobank and this area is not too far removed from that.

"We want people to be responsible, and that is the word we are and will be spreading."

*The former champion will host "An Evening with Junior Witter and Book launch party" at The Three Arches Events Space, Sheffield. on July 24, 7pm.