Portlaoise Boxing Club teams up to box clever on numeracy and literacy

Portlaoise Boxing Club is teaming up with an Abbeyeleix literary festival and Laois Offaly ETB under a new scheme to help adults learn literacy, numeracy and digital skills.

The Collaboration and Innovation Fund is part of the Adult Literacy for Life Strategy. The project called, Boxing Clever, receives €30,280 in a partnership between LOETB, the Abbeyleix Power of Words Festival and Portlaoise Boxing Club.

The funding was announced by the Minster for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris. Some €1 million has been allocated to 51 projects across the country to help to develop skills.

“What is really magic about these projects is they inject fun into learning those essential skills. That can mean learning to read or count through the joy of cooking, or boxing," he said.

The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science said Collaboration and Innovation Fund was launched in April 2023 as part of the Adult Literacy for Life Strategy.

The Collaboration and Innovation Fund for 2023 was open to public, non-profit, community and voluntary organisations across Ireland.  A minimum of two organisations working in partnership was required to apply for the fund, with one organisation taking the lead.

The maximum grant available was €50,000. Successful projects will showcase collaboration, partnership, and meaningful literacy-awareness and learner-focused outcomes.

Laois Offaly Minister of State Seán Fleming welcomed the project.

"It said the Fund was developed to support collaborative and innovative activities that will help achieve the aims of the strategy and create a more equal society.

"Portlaoise Boxing Club has produced several outstanding boxers over the years and the Club plays a key role in the life of some many young people in the town. I look forward to this new programme continuing the great tradition of this boxing club in Portlaoise.

"Accessing literacy supports can be very difficult for adults and this new project by Portlaoise Boxing Club will help adults learn to read or count through the fun of boxing," he said.

Green Party representatives in Laois welcomed partnership.

 Local election candidate for Portlaoise, Rosie Palmer, said: “Literacy is a vital skill for people to fully participate in our society. It is wonderful to see boxing being used as the pathway into improved literacy for adults who are at a disadvantage without these skills. Collaboration between agencies and groups is proving time and again to fuel creative thinking and increase impact. Well done to all involved – it is wonderful to see Portlaoise leading in this way.”

Minister of State Pippa Hackett added: “Yet again LOETB and partners stand out for ‘outside the box’ thinking and bringing creativity into the transfer of skills. Fantastic!”

Adult Literacy for Life (ALL) is a ten-year strategy that aims to ensure that every adult in Ireland has the necessary literacy, numeracy and digital literacy to fully engage in society and realise their potential.

The Power of Words Festival takes place from August 18 to 20.