Olympic gold medal-winning boxer Luke Campbell is working with Hull City Council to create a new health and wellbeing hub in the city centre.
The stylish facility is set to take up the vacant former Farm Foods building in Prospect Street.
The hub, called It’s Everyone’s Fight, is designed to support the improvement of physical and mental health in the community through sport.
The Hull-born star would meet the costs of the huge investment through his charitable foundation, also called It’s Everyone’s Fight, alongside other charities and grants.
Campbell, who said: “When I was growing up, I don’t think such a place existed. This will be much more than a fitness gym.
“The council and I are passionate about this project and I really hope It’s Everyone’s Fight can have a positive impact on the community.
“I’m going to have a team to provide practical advice, holding a range of fitness and activity classes at the centre for all ages and I will be going into schools to inspire kids to eat well, make healthy choices and achieve their potential. We will also prepare and distribute nutritious meals.
“I want to be a champion for improving the health and wellbeing of the local community and intend to establish a major centre for encouraging fitness, nutrition and good mental health.”
Repairs to the property, which has been vacant since August 2018, would include a full internal refit of electrical, heating, lighting and plumbing facilities, plus fire and security alarms and air conditioning.
Councillor Daren Hale, Deputy Leader of Hull City Council, said:
“It is great for Hull that an Olympic gold medal champion, potential world title-holder and the local lad is prepared to invest in a project in his community that offers such great social and health benefits.
“This facility could really help to support the city’s wellbeing agenda and improve the physical and mental health of people in the local community.
“This investment will bring a prominent city-centre building back into good use, while also making the area around it more attractive to other potential business owners.”
