Strategic funding transforming a community one punch at a time

In a recent case study, we explored how the Nadara Westfield Community Fund in Kinglassie proactively awarded funding for projects that create local impact. 

This case study demonstrates that the funding approach of the Westfield Fund in Cardenden also goes beyond standard grantmaking practice, strategically awarding funds that exceed the requested amounts, and reflecting the decision-making Panel's commitment to maximising community benefit through enhanced financial support for high-impact projects.

About the Boxing club 
Bowhill Miners Boxing and Fitness Club (BMBFC) was established in 2022 and operates from Bowhill Community Centre in Cardenden. The club provides boxing training for all ages with a focus on skill development and progression. Affiliated with Boxing Scotland, the club offers sessions five nights per week for all participants under 18 years of age. Coaches are committed to supporting the young people of Cardenden by providing opportunities for teenagers to develop not only their boxing skills but also essential life skills through dedicated mentoring and coaching programmes and opportunities.

The Challenge
Many young people in Cardenden were spending evenings gathering in the town centre and on the streets, which was largely due to limited affordable recreational opportunities in the area. As many local families began experiencing financial pressures, even the club's £3 per session fee became difficult to manage for regular attendance. With young people naturally congregating in public spaces during evening hours and few structured alternatives available, there were growing community concerns about social isolation and the potential for anti-social behaviour, particularly among those from households facing economic challenges.

Project Scope
The boxing club’s ‘Young people off the Street' project aims to provide a programme of free evening boxing training for under-18s, targeting social inclusion and community responsibility. 

It also offers a ‘minis boxing’ programme where young people under the age of ten can learn to box.  The programme operates five nights per week, serving approximately 60 registered young people with an average nightly attendance of 36 participants. Many young people attend multiple sessions throughout the week.

The project aimed to address barriers to participation by providing all necessary equipment, including headguards, gloves, gumshields, appropriate footwear, t-shirts, and wrist bands. This provision ensured that the lack of suitable clothing or protective gear did not prevent participation, while reducing stigma amongst participants. The provision of branded items helped to foster a strong sense of community identity, with friendships extending beyond training sessions.

Previous funding
At the beginning of 2025, BMBFC applied for funding to purchase essential kit, including gloves, head protection and t-shirts, as well as other training equipment for 60 children and young people participating in the free training programme. The equipment was needed due to the rapid deterioration of existing junior kits due to high usage levels across the five weekly sessions. 

The Cardenden fund’s decision-making Panel met in March 2025, and during discussions, recognised BMBFC's significant contribution to youth services in Cardenden, particularly appreciating the club's commitment to free participation for all young people. Consequently, the panel awarded an additional £500 above the requested amount of £2,000, bringing the total award to £2,500. This decision illustrates how responsive grant-making can recognises community need and organisational capability, and highlights the Panel’s commitment to innovative Fund distribution.

A panel member reflected:

At our March meeting, we were impressed by the group’s commitment to providing free boxing sessions for the young people in Cardenden. Their application demonstrated exactly the kind of grassroots impact we're looking to support through the Community Fund. After discussing their proposal, we felt confident that they could deliver even greater community benefit with enhanced funding, which is why we decided to award £2,500 - £500 more than they'd requested. It's our way of backing organisations that understand their community's needs and have the vision to make a real difference.

Project’s Journey 
BMBFC has developed partnerships with the local authority's Active Schools programme to specifically target care-experienced young people in the Cardenden area. One young person joined the programme while experiencing bullying at school. They enrolled in boxing to help build their confidence, resilience and provide them with tools to support self-defence. Over the past year and a half, the young person has grown significantly in confidence, and the skills gained have effectively stopped the bullying they were experiencing.

The boxing programme then offered the young person the opportunity to coach and mentor the mini boxers, which has further enhanced their leadership skills and sense of purpose within the community. 

This progression from participant to mentor demonstrates the club's holistic approach to youth development and its commitment to creating pathways for sustained personal growth, and creates positive role models. This also demonstrates how targeted support can break cycles of vulnerability and empower young people to become leaders and mentors themselves.

The minis meet twice weekly for 45-minute sessions that combine fitness, boxing, and drills. With 12 to 14 participants regularly attending, the minis remain fully engaged throughout their sessions with dedicated support from their coaches and mentors.

Unlocking Further Funding 
Foundation Scotland operates three dedicated fund administration teams: Community Investment, Social Investment, and Philanthropy, who work together to identify cross-funding opportunities that maximise impact across our programmes. In June 2025, a cross-funding opportunity arose through the Gordon Brown Memorial Fund. Given the transformative services the group has delivered to the Cardenden area, BMBFC was nominated for consideration for this award.

Following consideration, two awards were given. The first was an individual award for Niamh Mitchell, a young Scottish female boxer who began her boxing journey in Cardenden and is on track to become a British Senior Boxing Champion. As Niamh's boxing career continues with support from the award, she was selected in September 2025 to attend the World Boxing Championships being held in Liverpool.

Niamh said:

I'm absolutely delighted to receive this individual award from the Gordon Brown Memorial Fund. When I first walked into the boxing club in Cardenden, I never imagined where this journey would take me. This recognition means the world to me, not just personally, but because it highlights the amazing work our club does for young people in the area. Boxing has given me discipline, confidence, and a clear path forward, and I hope my story shows other young people from Cardenden that with the right support and determination, you can achieve anything. I'm more motivated than ever to reach my goal of becoming a British Senior Boxing Champion.

The Gordon Brown Memorial Fund also recognised the services delivered by the boxing club and awarded a further £500 of funding to support the purchase of equipment for young people on their boxing journey.

The final funding opportunity came through Foundation Scotland as a charity, which awarded an additional £500 to the group as part of a wider cost-of-living uplift grant that all organisations funded during 2024/2025 received.

Craig Abbot, from Bowhill Miners Boxing Club said: 

The combined support from Nadara Westfield, the Gordon Brown Memorial Fund, and Foundation Scotland has been transformational for our boxing club and the young people of Cardenden. It has enabled us to expand our programmes and reach more young people during challenging times. What's remarkable is how these funders have worked together - it's not just about the money, it's about believing in what we're doing for this community. We're seeing real results - kids building confidence, developing discipline, and achieving things they never thought possible, like Niamh's journey towards becoming a British champion.

Head Coach James White added:

I can't thank Nadara and Foundation Scotland enough. Their help is what makes it possible for us to support young boxers with financial backing and encourage them to live their ambitions and dreams.

Final Thoughts - Broader Implications
The BMBFC story demonstrates how effective community-led decision-making can address multiple social challenges simultaneously - removing financial barriers to participation, and tackling socioeconomic inequalities while promoting both physical and mental health benefits for young people. 

This holistic approach is also reflected in Foundation Scotland's cross-departmental collaboration, which identified multiple funding streams to support BMBFC's work. These multiple funding awards illustrate how responsive funding bodies can layer support to maximise community impact. 

Read more about the Nadara Westfield Wind Farm Community Fund in Cardenden