An Abingdon boxing club runs free Sunday sessions for people with Parkinson's, takes non-contact boxing into schools and seeks backing for a veterans group.
A community boxing club in Abingdon runs free, non-contact sessions for people living with Parkinson’s, is taking boxing into schools across the county and wants local help to start a group for veterans.
Spartans Elite ABC CIC is an England Boxing-affiliated club whose venue is inside Dalton Barracks. Its head coach, Alec MacDonald, is a former Royal Engineers soldier. He wrote to us this week to explain what the club does beyond the ring.
“We use structured boxing and physical activity to support confidence, wellbeing and positive opportunities for local people,” he said. The community interest company was incorporated in June 2025, “building on our existing boxing work in Abingdon”. The club’s badge carries the date 2024.
George’s Parkinson’s Punch Bunch
The Parkinson’s group meets on Sundays and is paid for by a grant from Parkinson’s UK, which is why the sessions are free to the people who come.
“George’s Parkinson’s Punch Bunch runs on Sundays and is supported by a Parkinson’s UK grant,” Mr MacDonald said. “Sessions use adapted, non-contact recreational boxing and physical activity to support movement, confidence and social connection. Interested participants can contact the club directly about joining.”
Regular club boxing runs alongside it, including a Monday evening session from 6.30pm to 7.30pm.
Boxing in schools, with no contact
The club’s schools programme, Spartans Elite Schools, uses non-contact recreational boxing for early intervention and wellbeing work. Its poster describes “structured non-contact recreational boxing that supports confidence, emotional wellbeing, behaviour, engagement and physical activity for children and young people”, aimed at schools, pastoral teams, SEND and inclusion support, families and referral partners.
“We have established primary-school delivery experience, and have also delivered secondary-school and college taster sessions,” Mr MacDonald said.
The club’s own schools overview, prepared on 10 October, lists that work:
- Primary: school-based boxing and physical activity at St Frideswide CE Primary School and North Hinksey Primary School.
- Secondary: a group taster at The Oxford Academy in September 2026. A continuation programme has been proposed and is subject to formal agreement.
- Further education: a paid taster at Abingdon & Witney College in October 2026, with further activity agreed separately with the college.
Sessions are “structured, supervised” and “adapted to each setting’s needs, with safeguarding and consent requirements agreed in advance”, the overview says. The club is careful to add that it does not claim “that schools or colleges endorse every Spartans programme”.
Veterans Stronger Together: not yet funded
The newest plan is Veterans Stronger Together, a programme for former service personnel. It does not have money behind it yet.
“We are also developing Veterans Stronger Together, a proposed programme using physical activity and social connection to support veterans,” Mr MacDonald said. “It is not yet funded. Local people and organisations can help through introductions, partnerships and funding support.”
The poster pitches it as “boxing for body, mind and brotherhood”: open to all veterans, all abilities welcome, no boxing experience needed, non-contact boxing fitness. “You served your country. Now let us support you,” it reads.
What it means for you
- Living with Parkinson’s, or caring for someone who is? The Sunday sessions are free. Email the club at spartanseliteabc@gmail.com to ask about joining.
- A school, pastoral lead or referral partner? The same address handles school partnerships and referrals.
- A veteran, or able to help one? The club wants introductions, partners and funders for Veterans Stronger Together.
- Because the venue is inside Dalton Barracks, contact the club before turning up to anything.
The club posts as Spartans Elite ABC on Facebook and as @spartanseliteabc on Instagram.
Mr MacDonald says he will confirm a weekly attendance figure from the club’s records; we will add it when he does. Have a club or charity story from the Vale? Email the newsdesk.
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