Gateway Amateur Boxing Club

Club History

In 2009, a group of Corringham friends who had boxed together as youngsters, discussed the idea of opening their own boxing club in the Stanford-le-Hope and Corringham area of South Essex.

Paul “Chico” Bates, George “Knuckles” Lowe and Paul “Pod” Jeffery along with Chico’s brother, Mark “Sach” Bates, wanted to give local boys and girls the opportunity to learn the pugilist art in a safe and friendly environment.

Their idea was to establish a boxing club within the local community where children from the age of eight upwards could learn new skills, develop their personal fitness and lead a healthy lifestyle. They would assist them in reaching their own individual potential in this most competitive of sports, offer them a safe place to train, keep them off the streets and out of trouble, teach them discipline, and at the same time enable them to meet new friends and developing lasting relationships.

And so it was that in early 2009, Gateway Amateur Boxing Club was born out of their idea and established itself, training one night a week in a small barn located on a farm in Stanford-le-Hope. Most of the equipment was kindly donated by local people and businesses and initially a mere 10 kids formed the basis of the membership.

Gateway A.B.C. Barn located on a farm in Stanford-le-Hope.

Gateway's original club members at the Barn in Stanford-le-Hope.

Word spread fast through the Corringham and Stanford-le-Hope grapevines and school playgrounds and before too long Gateway’s small barn was bursting at the seams as their numbers quadrupled in the first few months. This left the club with the dilemma of either restricting the numbers or finding new premises.

Not wishing to disappoint anyone, the Gateway founders started their search for new premises and soon found a suitable empty building in Lampits Hill, Corringham. The building in question had been empty for several years and much work was required to get it into shape. Over the autumn and winter of 2009 the lads, together with the help of some parents, transformed the run down premises into a suitably equipped gym where the boys and girls could learn their new skills.

John McDermott, Colin Dunn and Wayne Hibbert at the Gateway A.B.C. Official Open Day.

Professional Boxers in attendance and help to celebrate Gateway's special Open Day.

In early February 2010, Gateway Amateur Boxing Club opened its new doors in Lampits Hill, Corringham and began the long process of establishing itself as one of the leading boxing clubs in Essex. The official Gateway Open Day was held on Saturday 27th February 2010 and was attended by twice British Heavyweight title challenger, “Big” John McDermott, former WBU Lightweight Champion, Colin Dunn and local undefeated fighter “John” Wayne Hibbert.

Gateway Amateur Boxing Club now opens its doors three nights a week with the squad and adults training Tuesdays and Thursdays and the Nursery and Intermediate members training on Wednesdays. The club has in excess of 50 members, several of whom are now medically carded, allowing them to compete in boxing shows all across the Country.

Our squad members have competed at shows all across the county with varying degrees of success, but all bar none, have done the club proud with their performances. We are all in agreement at Gateway that the boxing club is heading in the right direction and will continue to grow and develop its good work in the local community.

The club has established a full committee, all of whom kindly gives up their spare time for the benefit of our members and meets regularly to discuss the best ways forward.

Now established in the area for over four years, the club has recently undergone some major internal refurbishments with the new layout allowing us to take on ever more members and continue to offer the same benefits to as many individuals as possible. The space in the gym has been completely opened up and new flooring has been laid. Heating has also been installed and a new ceiling has been erected in an attempt to make the gym environment as pleasant as we possibly can.

Gateway Amateur Boxing Club is an affiliated member of the Essex Amateur Boxing Association as well as a member of The Essex Boys & Girls Clubs which allows our members to enjoys the many benefits that they offer. Structure Chart of Head Coaches, Paul Bates and George Lowe. Chairman & Treasurer Steve Manning & Honorary Member Mark Bates. Assistant Coaches Lee Meyers, Mick Coffey, Joe Hunt & Adam Hubbard.

To view Gateway's Trainers Profiles, please click here.

To view Gateway's Club Constitution, please click here.

To view Gateway's Employer Liability Insurance Certificate, please click here.