Supporting the Redfern Gym - Sponsorships for young people

A sense of community is an important part of the culture of the gym. Alex Tui has been the manager of the gym for 15 years and provides strong consistency and mentoring. Alex is a world-title kickboxing champion and a highly respected coach, mentor and member of the community.

It was during last year that Trevor Davies, one of this paper’s editors and its Distribution Coordinator, started on his long journey of weight loss. This was reported last year, and it prompted Leigh Coleman from Hillsong in Waterloo to sponsor Trevor for three months. Then they got together with the gym and started to approach local businesses, inviting them to come and sponsor young Aboriginal people. Trevor and Leigh have started to work to raise money for this iconic Redfern institution.

The good news is that people are starting to offer sponsorships. The Federal Member, Tanya Plibersek, is supporting a young person for 12 months at the gym, and Ben Spiers- Butcher, the Greens candidate for Heffron, is doing the same thing.

Why is this necessary? Sadly, in 2004, the Mundine Gym stopped receiving Federal Government funding. The long-term future of the gym is dependent on continual funding and support from the local community.

Your money will help pay the membership of a young Aboriginal person: 12 month gym membership $230; 3 month gym membership $120. All sponsorship and donations over $2 are tax deductible. Contact General Manager Lani Tuitavala on 9698 9249 / 0413 289 464.

Source: South Sydney Herald February 2007