Creating Excellence

Wells Sports Foundation

Case Study

You can view our featured project here, along with some information about the client and their needs. When you see what we’ve done for our clients and how we’ve helped them reach their goals, you’ll have a pretty good idea of what we can do for you.

RAMP – A Fighting Chance

Rachael MacKenzie, both the world number 1 (for both 50kg and 52 kg divisions) and holder of the equivalent British titles was selected to work with a young person - Thomas Stokes, referred to RAMP by One in a Million, Bradford.

She says “I am really keen to encourage young people to get involved in physical activity and he was keen to learn about the police.”

Thomas Stokes spent his first 15 years growing up without a supportive adult role model. He comes from a broken home and deprived neighbourhood, environmental factors that regularly served to hamper his school attendance and hinder his learning curve.

Rachael aimed to instill dedicated professionalism in the teenager. To channel his exuberance and desire to join the Police Force, she structured a programme that taught him about professional fighting and took him to watch professionals fight crime.

His aspiration was to join the Police station, a Police Education Officer told Thomas how he could reach his goal. He later spent a day shadowing a Police Officer’s patrols of his very own housing estate. This gave him a deeper understanding of the work involved. “The experience has shown me that the Police Force is not all about driving round in fast cars. It has been good,” says Thomas. “ I hope to become a Police Community Support Office when I leave school.”

Since Thomas began attending RAMP sessions, his school attendance has improved dramatically. “Rachael and the Police have been really helpful,” he adds. “She is really approachable and now I have a much clearer idea of how I can become a Police Officer.”

Rachael also met his teachers to develop a plan for Thomas to catch up with all of the schoolwork he had missed. As a reward for making significant developments he was given the opportunity to visit the Police firing range.

Boxing lessons have also helped Thomas to learn respect, aid physical strength - a necessity for joining the Police Force - and improve his confidence and discipline.

Rachael is modest about the effect of her efforts. “There is no greater rewards than someone telling me: ‘This is the best thing I’ve done in my life’. When I think of these changes it’s unbelievable to think that I have any part in it.”