MBE for Right Stuff boxing club PC Andy

A Stone police officer has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Year’s honours list for his services to young people.

PC Andy Whitehall is the driving force behind the Right Stuff Boxing Project. He started the project in Stone in 2008 before it was taken up by other communities in the county.

As well as boxing lessons and the opportunity to gain coaching qualifications, each youngster signs up to a voluntary good behaviour contract and agrees to take part in community projects. This includes litter picking, gardening and taking food parcels to the elderly.

The Right Stuff is open to all young people, but referrals from social services, youth offending teams, parent support workers and education welfare officers are important. Some adult offenders are also referred to the scheme – many then develop into positive role models for youngsters. The project is supported and sustained through the invaluable contribution of adult volunteers.

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Andy, who works as part of the Safer Stronger Communities Team based in Stafford, gives up much of his own time to run the clubs in Stone, Stafford, Huntington and Cannock. He is married with two children and lives in Stone.

Andy said: “It’s a real privilege and honour to receive this award. Young people are often portrayed in a negative way and whilst some kids can unfortunately go off the rails, I’m constantly amazed by the youngsters I get to work with. Right Stuff boxing clubs give them a purpose, focus, coaching and mentoring and can transform and develop young people into positive role models for their peers.”

Chief Constable Mike Cunningham added: “Andy’s award is richly deserved and it’s not an exaggeration to say that his influence has been life-changing for some young people. He’s an outstanding officer who gives up a massive amount of his own time to work with youngsters. His boxing clubs are great places for young people to go to so they can channel their energies into positive activity. This can also help reduce crime and anti-social behaviour problems for local residents and businesses.

“Andy’s work is a great example of how innovative thinking, personal passion and commitment can make a big difference and solve community problems.”

A great example of the impact of his work are the school summer holiday initiatives in Stone, Stafford and Cannock. These have helped hundreds of young people – identified by local young leaders from Andy’s clubs – and helped reduce anti-social behaviour by as much as a third.

Andy runs two after-school clubs in his own time every week at Walton Priory Middle School in Stone and Sir Graham Balfour High School, Stafford. He also organises a Saturday morning all-female coaching session in Stafford.

In 2011 The Right Stuff project celebrated Staffordshire’s first ever national female boxing champion, 16-year-old Sophie Stewart from Yarnfield, who won the National Amateur Boxing Association Flyweight Championship in Manchester. Sophie has been with the Right Stuff for three years and has carried out over 400 hours’ community volunteering, inspiring others to follow her example of good citizenship. In September 2009, Andy received a national award for his work from the British Boxing Board of Control, the national governing body for professional boxing.