In a UK first, Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust has partnered with mental health charity Off The Ropes to open the NHS’s first on-site boxing gym, located at the Trust’s Goldie Leigh site in London.
The Trust has granted the charity a ten-year lease to run the facility, which features two rings, punch bags and specialist fitness equipment.
The gym builds on growing evidence supporting boxing’s therapeutic value for mental health. Attendees at the launch included Oxleas Chief Executive Dr Ify Okocha, programme participants, and Abena Oppong-Asare MP, who officially opened the facility.
Off The Ropes was founded by Warren Dunkley, a former professional boxer and long-serving NHS Occupational Therapist. He developed the programme after seeing the positive impact of non-contact boxing on patients with severe and enduring mental illness. All sessions are led by dual-trained staff who are qualified boxing coaches and experienced mental health practitioners.
The project has been largely funded by Media Fight Night, an annual charity boxing event that has been a longstanding supporter of Off The Ropes.
Dr Okocha, a recent recipient of the Royal College of Psychiatrists President’s Medal, said boxing offers a controlled physical outlet for stress and difficult emotions, while also building confidence, community and concentration. Participants, he noted, often carry these skills into daily life.
Off The Ropes’ approach was first piloted on an acute ward, where high engagement and positive feedback led to expansion across acute, intensive care and female wards. Over two and a half years, the charity has recorded consistently strong outcomes, including improved wellbeing (91%), reduced stress and increased confidence (88%), and enhanced social connection and fitness (75%). Occupational therapists also report calmer behaviour, with no incidents recorded.
Participants describe the sessions as transformative, helping them regulate emotions, reduce self-harm and regain structure and purpose. One former patient is now training as a coach.
Research increasingly supports boxing as an effective intervention, with studies showing reductions in depression, aggression and anxiety, alongside improvements in self-esteem, concentration and proprioception – particularly beneficial for trauma survivors.
With its new permanent base, Off The Ropes plans to expand support for inpatients, outpatients, young people, individuals with learning disabilities, and those living with neurological conditions. Alongside boxing, the charity offers activities ranging from paddleboarding to employment support, aiming to build a long-term wellbeing hub rooted in community and recovery.