The August leg of the Together For England Roadshow packed a punch as it rolled into Manchester.
The Moss Side Fire Station Boxing Club was the destination as five England internationals flew the Three Lions flag.
Women’s World Cup bronze medallists Toni Duggan (Manchester City Women) and Fara Williams (Liverpool Ladies) joined Manchester United duo Jesse Lingard (England U21s) and James Wilson (England U20s) as well as Manchester City's Kean Bryan (England U19s) at the community hub.
Duggan joins in with some training at the boxing club
Set up in 2007, the boxing club is run by local fire fighters who volunteer their time to support the Moss Side community by helping to develop the personal attributes of young individuals.
And, working alongside the charity ‘The Sport Community’, it was the perfect venue for the latest Together for England Roadshow, a nationwide drive aimed at strengthening the national team’s relationship with local communities. Through the power of sport, the monthly roadshows look to inspire the next generation of Three Lions fans.
England fan Jamie Moore, the former European and British light middleweight champion-turned-Sky Sports pundit, also joined the star panel who all pulled on the gloves before being put through their paces by local children.
Jamie Moore (right) in action in 2003
The group then took their seats for a ringside Q&A as youngsters gathered to listen to experiences of performing on the international stage and pick up tips on what it takes to be a professional athlete.
Following on from the release of the England DNA philosophy, 2015 has already seen the Together for England Roadshow arrive in Southampton, Middlesbrough, Barnet, Somerset, Staffordshire, West Bromwich and Fulham.
England teams will be in action on home soil over the coming months.
The England group pleased local youngsters in Moss Side with their appearance on Thursday
Roy Hodgson’s seniors play host to Switzerland at Wembley Stadium on Tuesday 8 September (7.45pm kick-off) while Gareth Southgate’s new crop of U21s will take on the USA U23s at Preston North End’s Deepdale on Thursday 3 September (7.45pm kick-off).
Meanwhile, England Women will be back in home action for the first time since their World Cup heroics on Sunday 29 November (3.30pm) when the Lionesses take on Bosnia & Herzegovina Women at Bristol City’s Ashton Gate. Click here for tickets or call 01179 630 600.
For tickets to all the Men's matches, visit TheFA.com/Tickets.
The Sport Community is a charity that helps businesses reach their goals by investing in sports clubs and projects. The Sport Community works with companies to understand what they want to get out of sport; help them find the right sport and cause to invest in; and then work with them to get the most from this investment in terms of PR, staff development and corporate social responsibility.
For more information visit thesportcommunity.org.uk.
To find out more about the Moss Side Fire Station Boxing Club, visit mosssidefirebox.com.
