The Cardiff Business Awards 2024 celebrated the outstanding achievements of businesses and individuals who are shaping the future of Cardiff’s economy.
In this series of interviews we spotlight the winners, sharing their stories and celebrating their contributions.
Among this year’s winners is Tiger Bay Amateur Boxing Club, which was honoured with the Third Sector Business of the Year Award. We spoke with the company’s representative, Sarah Bowen, to learn more.
Tiger Bay Amateur Boxing Club, is community. Our heritage and culture is what makes our city unique.
As a grassroots organisation our members, volunteers and staff are a proud reflection of South Cardiff’s multicultural, working class history and a legacy to those who shaped our story.
Since 2018 Tiger Bay Amateur Boxing Club has provided sanctuary to young people, in an environment where children are at more at risk of exploitation.
Supporting the Mental Health and Wellbeing of young men through sport and peer mentorship. Earning founder and role model, Wasim Said the, St David’s Award for Community Spirit.
Tiger Bay ABC’s success has been recognised by both South Wales Police and Crime Commission and the Home Office. For our impact on Anti Social Behaviour, youth violence and community safety. We are currently leading a 5 year project to reduce knife crime across Cardiff, empowering young people from South Cardiff to develop their communities through the collective power of sport.
In response to the pains of Lockdown during 2020, Tiger Bay ABC received the National Lottery Sports Award for adapting to the needs of a vulnerable community, working in partnership with Cardiff Community Housing Association, to ensure essential food parcels were delivered to vulnerable community members, three times a week by our young boxers.
The following year as restrictions eased, our start up business Tiger Bay Security was launched and a new relationship with the Wales Millennium Centre began, creating security jobs and training opportunities for local people coming through the boxing club, who were experiencing barriers to employment.
After winning Cardiff Third Sector Business of the Year, 2024.
Our hope is to develop more sustainable relationships with the Private, Public and Third Sector so that as our city grows, communities across Cardiff’s Southern Arc like Butetown, grow with it.
Looking ahead, scarcity of government funding and demand for businesses to align their values with authentic social brands like Tiger Bay ABC, has the potential to foster more collaborative ways of working through Social Partnerships, innovating entrepreneurship and economic development from the ground up.
The team at Tiger Bay ABC keep each other motivated through challenging times by reminding each other of the wins and learning from our losses.
The support of our families, potential of our young people and kindness of the community all help keep us motivated.
Boxing is about having the mindset of a champion, navigating adversity to identify challenges that can be learned from and believing that the people in your corner have your back.
Adversity has become a catalyst for community resilience, we are creating solutions by working together.
If you are inspired by the journey of Tiger Bay ABC, please get in touch.
