Snatch star's Sussex youth club vandalised a week after hub was opened by former heavyweight boxer

Scott Welch, known as The Brighton Rock, transformed the derelict clubhouse in Monks recreation ground in Lancing into a youth club for local children.

The centre was opened as part of an education programme by the World Boxing Council (WBC) to bring the principles of boxing, ‘diversity, sportsmanship and dedication’ to vulnerable people. WBC also runs Brighton and Hove boxing club.

Staff arrived on Morning morning (September 18) – to find windows had been smashed over the weekend – just days after the hub opened on September 11.

WBC Cares UK project administrator Lisa Houston told Sussex World: "We don't know who has done it or the age of the person. We haven't got CCTV cameras yet but they will be in soon.

“We don't know who did it but we are not put off by these things. We have seen enough of it over the years. We will just fix the window and carry on.

"The amount of the kids who have come in shows there is a need for us to be there. We had more than 115 individuals who came into the hub last week alone.

"That blew us away. We didn't think we'd have anywhere near those sorts of numbers.”

Lisa said she was ‘sad’ to see the vandalism after the opening of the hub received a ‘really good response’ from young people in the area.

"They're just as upset as we were,” she added. "They're immediately giving us pride at having this new space.

"They're rushing over straight after school and they're all enjoying being there. We're getting to know them.

"They don't understand why it’s happened. We’ve just put a new youth hub in, why are people smashing it?

"It doesn't put us off doing the work we're doing because it's so valuable and needed.

"I'm quite confident that once the CCTV and sensor lights have gone up, it will deter people from thinking about doing it.”

The boxing charity has teamed up with Tesco's, which will be providing ‘loads of food for the kids’. Metal shutters will also be fitted by local business, Gardner & Scardifield.

Lisa added: “Although this has been a negative experience, it has brought in a lot of support from local businesses and donations to help fix it. We didn’t expect that.

"We've got different companies around the area that we're teaming up with. Youth workers are doing drop-in sessions. We are working with all the local charity services, children's services and so on.

“The kids need us to be there because they need somewhere to go after school that stops them being out on the street. They just have nowhere to go. That's why they end up engaging in unwanted behaviour because they're bored and they've got nothing to do.

“When we first came on board in this town the shoplifting was just rife and it’ll take a few weeks to embed and start working.”

Lisa said eight members of staff are currently working at the centre and they have been engaging the children with football games and boxing drills.

Lisa said: “The kids are so polite, they're there before the hub opens up. They ask if they can put the equipment out. They're asking if they can help put it away, like all the chairs and tables.

"They're proud of their new space. They'll want to keep it here because otherwise where are they gonna go?”

Scott Welch is chairman of WBC Cares UK, which runs schemes across the county – including including Worthing, Storrington and Billingshurst.

Shoreham’s former heavyweight world title challenger starred alongside Brad Pitt, Jason Statham and Vinnie Jones in Guy Ritchie’s blockbuster film Snatch.

To find out more about his new youth club, visit wbccaresuk.org.