A coach is raising money for new gym equipment so he can support at-risk youth, helping them through training in the gym to keep them off the streets and transform their lives.
Pop Haywood, 69, is an ex-offender who turned his life around after spending 17 years in prison.
He has learnt from previous life experience how important it is to have a support network and an outlet, which is why he wants support to provide this to Sheffield’s youth.
He has worked with youth expelled from mainstream schools and said: “I don’t talk down to them, I give them respect and they give it back to me.”
Mr Haywood explained how working with people to help better themselves comes naturally to him. He said: “It’s normal to me. I just do it, and it works.”
The current space that Mr Haywood’s gym is occupying, Three Arches Events Space, is not big enough anymore, so he will be moving into a much larger space, an old furniture shop in Handsworth.
This will allow for more space to train, enabling Mr Haywood to help and mentor more of Sheffield’s community.
His GoFundMe is raising money to provide equipment for at-risk youth to use to train and release stress, and he needs the residents of Sheffield’s help to provide this equipment for them.
Mr Haywood said that he wants to build a community hub, as the new space he is moving into is much bigger, so will allow him to build a charity shop, food bank and cafe for old age pensioners, so he can provide for all ages of Sheffield’s community.
He explained how his friend, John Tompkins, has been one of his biggest supporters, and has helped him achieve so many of his goals through different events and fundraisers.
Mr Haywood said how he had been previously nominated for an MBE for all his charitable work, and wants to continue this at a time where street safety is a major concern and he is able to do something to help.
When asked what motivated him to continue with his inspirational work, Mr Haywood said: “Smiling faces. I care, and that’s top to bottom.”
Pop Haywood’s GoFundMe can be found here.
Top image credit: Image by Philip Moore