A BOXING club in Bradford has added another prestigious accolade to its impressive list of achievements.
Sanctus Boxing Club, Wyke, claimed the Community Club Impact Award at the 2025 England Boxing Annual Awards.
This significant recognition highlights the club’s outstanding contributions to the community.
Shane Thewlis, the founder of Sanctus, was also shortlisted among an elite group of three nominees, including Carl Ellis from Buckingham Boxing Club, and Brendan Warburton MBE from Sheffield City.
The win reflects the club’s commitment to fostering community spirit and providing a positive outlet for local youth through the sport of boxing.
Thewlis, who was born and raised in Bradford, expresses how boxing taught him everything he knows about discipline and respect.
Having won multiple national titles as an amateur boxer representing the Karmand Centre, Thewlis opened Sanctus in June 2021 with the vision of imparting his years of experience and knowledge to help other young people achieve through boxing.
When speaking about the award, Thewlis stated: “Boxing can be a powerful tool to create social cohesion.
“It was important to me when opening my own club that, as well as producing champions in the boxing ring, we use boxing to champion young people outside of the ring to give them the skills to build resilience in life.
“It’s an absolute privilege to have received this recognition, it’s an award for all the coaches, mentors and volunteers who represent our ethos of building strong communities.”
As well as offering free boxing classes and funded school holiday provision, Thewlis believes that they were most likely shortlisted for the England Boxing award due to their successful SEMH (Social, Emotional and Mental Health) youth work.
In the past 12 months, Sanctus have delivered their social, emotional and mental health programme to hundreds of young people who have been referred via parents, schools or youth services.
Sanctus co-founder and education lead Kathryn Thewlis stated: “Our professional youth and community service is unique.
“We are able to offer mental health support through boxing delivered by highly experienced and qualified individuals with backgrounds in boxing, education and mental health.
“Our programmes are making a difference and were accessed by 19 schools this academic year. This year we have introduced ChatterBOX Therapy which is a unique style of talk therapy incorporating boxing training and is delivered by our cognitive behaviour therapist.
“The young people are instantly engaged through the boxing; it removes any stigma they may have about accessing traditional support services.”
The club’s latest award not only celebrates their achievements in the ring but also highlights their broader influence in promoting community cohesion and personal development through boxing. The award ceremony, held at the Mercure Hotel and Spa in Sheffield on Friday, July 25 2025 was a moment of pride for the entire Sanctus community, reflecting the club’s exceptional work in nurturing young talent and making a lasting difference in the lives of many.