Care home surprises retired boxer with return to the ring

A resident at a care home in Suffolk has made a surprise return to the boxing ring.

Ron Newberry, a resident at Care UK's Hartismere Place, in Eye, celebrated his 80^th birthday by returning to the ring to train with his friend and coach from the 60s, Colin Stevenson. 

Ron started boxing at the age of 16. In 1961 he became the Light Middle Weight Eastern Country Champion for three years in a row. Ron retired from the sport in 1968 but always wished to return and pass on his knowledge and skills on to the next generation. 

After learning about his time spent as a boxer in the 1960s, and his wish to get back in the ring, the team at Hartismere Place didn’t want Ron to hang up his gloves just yet - and planned a surprise outing to Lowestoft Amateurs Boxing Academy.

On the day, Ron, along with team members, travelled to the boxing gym where they were met by Colin and some junior boxers. During the class, Ron loved sharing his stories and answering questions about his time as a competitive boxer. 

Ron said: “I really enjoyed being able to get back in the ring, train and put on my boxing gloves – I couldn’t believe how much they had changed! The gloves seemed so much bigger with more padding. 

“It brought back lots of memories of being in the ring and I remember that if after the weigh in I was too heavy, to lose the extra pounds I would run on the shingle beach which was hard work. I remember training with Colin back in the day, so it was wonderful to box with him once again.”

He added: “I loved watching the younger generation still enjoying the sport and I was so impressed by their boxing skills. My advice to youngsters is that if you want to be a boxer, you must be dedicated and train hard.

“I had a great time getting back into the ring and although I don’t box anymore, I do keep fit by dancing and jiving! I still enjoy watching the boxing on the TV – particularly my favourite boxers Henry Cooper and Muhammad Ali.”

The visit was part of Care UK’s ‘Wishing Tree’ Initiative, which encourages residents to put wishes forward, allowing them to reconnect with a past hobby or try something completely new – from flying a plane to enjoying a night at the opera, no wish is too big or small.

Claire Martin, Home Manager at Hartismere Place, said: “We were delighted to create a memorable afternoon for Ron, which enabled him to reconnect with his passion for boxing while providing an opportunity to reminisce on his time spent in the ring. It was fantastic to surprise him and see what a wonderful time he had!

“At Hartismere Place, we regularly create thoughtful activities and events that promote positive wellbeing among the residents. The whole team look forward to learning more about the wonderful experiences the residents have enjoyed throughout their lives and creating imaginative activities that build on their talents. 

“We were so happy that we could arrange this for Ron and that he could pass on his skills on to the next generation of boxers. We can’t wait to organise the next wish – we will never throw in the towel on fulfilling residents’ wishes!”

Hartismere Place has been designed to deliver the very best standards of care and to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives. The home provides full-time residential, dementia, and short-term respite care. The team also operates a day centre, the Hartismere Place Day Club, which is open to the community throughout the week.