Roman Boxing was founded in 2018 by Darren Sullivan with the support of friends and family, but its story begins much earlier. Darren boxed from eight years old until he was 29, following generations of his family’s involvement in boxing in Bath, before dedicating himself to coaching. For more than 20 years he has built a strong reputation across the South West as an England Boxing coach, achieving his Level 3 coaching qualification and working with many successful amateur boxers at regional and national level, as well as professional fighters who won national and European titles.

Boxing has a long history in Bath, but for many years the city struggled to maintain a lasting club. Following the decline of the Percy Boys club in the 1990s, local boxing organisations came and went without ever becoming firmly established. This was not due to lack of interest in the sport itself, but because of the practical difficulties involved in sustaining a club. Volunteer teams were stretched too thin, and unstable access to training venues created constant uncertainty and disruption. Roman Boxing was established with those lessons firmly in mind.

The opportunity to restart boxing in Bath came when Better Bath Sports and Leisure Centre made storage space available for boxing equipment, allowing the club to begin training two nights per week. From the very beginning demand was immediate. Classes quickly reached capacity as the club grew through word of mouth.

Since opening, Roman Boxing has operated from four different venues, each move driven by increasing demand for training. Throughout that time the club has continued to grow continuously, despite the challenges that come with shared facilities. The organisation now supports more than 150 active members and has worked with more than 1,000 individuals since 2018. Our boxers have achieved success at regional and national level, with finalists and champions representing the club in competition at both levels. The demand for boxing in Bath has already been proven.

Roman Boxing now benefits from a large and committed volunteer pool consisting of 11 coaches, 2 officials and more than 5 regular volunteers, all contributing their time freely for their love of the sport and because they believe in what the club provides for the community. This volunteer structure has helped break the cycle that caused previous organisations to struggle. Responsibilities are shared across a capable team, creating a stronger and more sustainable organisation while also building a positive community around the gym itself. Volunteers stay involved because they feel valued, and able to make a genuine difference by doing what they enjoy.

The club has also demonstrated it is financially sustainable. Day to day running costs are covered through membership and training income rather than reliance on ongoing charitable donations. The gym is already operating successfully as a fully equipped boxing facility with an established membership base. The purpose of this fundraising campaign is not to create something new from scratch, but to permanently secure something that is already working.

Our current venue solves many of the challenges that previously limited the club’s growth. It provides more training space than any venue we have occupied before, allowing us to accommodate larger classes and avoid the capacity issues that previously forced us to turn people away. We currently deliver 11 sessions per week, but the venue has capacity for up to 30 sessions weekly, allowing substantial room for future expansion.

Most importantly, exclusive use of the building gives the club long-term stability. In previous venues, short notice closures, shared use arrangements and interrupted access regularly disrupted training schedules and limited what we could offer. Securing this building through purchase of the remaining 360 years on the leasehold will allow the club to plan confidently for the future, strengthen partnerships with local organisations and expand the range of activities available to the community.

We are not asking supporters to invest in an idea that may one day succeed, as Roman Boxing is already succeeding. This campaign is about protecting that success for future generations and ensuring that Bath has a permanent home for boxing.