Ellis Grubb

I met Ellis when I began working as a primary teacher and I helped out at the school tag rugby club which he ran. From the start I was amazed by his enthusiasm, his drive, his humour and his patience with the children. Often I felt exhausted after a day in the classroom but his positive energy was infectious and it was always a pleasure to be out on the pitch with him. His greatest strength however is his undying belief that sports - with the discipline, dedication, commitment and team work involved - can have such a positive influence on children across their lives, setting them in the right direction to be a great citizen and a useful part of their communities. It took me a while to realise quite how much of his free time he dedicated to the community: running rugby clubs at three schools; head coach of Bath City Boxing Club; and coaching cricket. All unpaid. All in his own time. Off the pitch Ellis is a humble, thoughtful man. Because of this it took a long time of knowing him to realise that what he is offering children is the chance he had. Being from the only black family in the area, boxing gave him the opportunity to rise above and set dreams for the future. He knew he was different because his twin brother was white. At almost 60 his international boxing days are long gone but his passion and drive to offer children a better life still burns brightly. He is currently driving forward plans to create the first boxing and sports gym attached to a primary school.