Testimonials

Alexander McCafferty, Careers Leader

During Year 10 Work Experience week, 20 of our Djanogly City Academy scholars had the fantastic opportunity to work with The Pythian Club. The Club supported and encouraged the development of our scholars in the workplace. They crafted a programme for our scholars that allowed them to experience continuous professional development from the Police and Fire Service; this actively supported their overall understanding of working practices. They have shown our scholars what it is like to be in a workplace with both community and young people at its heart. These are key principles that we as an academy strongly believe in. This opportunity would not have been possible without the staff of The Pythian Club as well as the support given from NET, who treated the scholars as employees of Pythian and allowed them to travel around the city as part of their ongoing partnership with the club. Overall, our scholars were able to take part in an engaging and enriching week that has aided them significantly in their development. We look forward to future collaborations with The Pythian Club; they are truly making a difference.”

Lucy Bates

I started attending boxing sessions back when I was 14 years old. My initial drive was to learn a little bit of self-defense, as you can never be too well prepared. After a couple of fitness sessions, working out my balance, and growth of relationships, others began joining in the fitness sessions.

It did not take long for us to build strong friendships. While this organisation welcomes all ages and abilities, it is a real eye-opener on how to communicate, on a personal level, with people of all ages.

Personally, I found this youth club amazing for building confidence, maintaining health and well-being, and empowering the younger population.

After a short while, Ben, the well-known founder of this operation, began to approach the teenagers attending to push them further with their abilities, in return enabling them to gain qualifications. The behind the scenes’ team who help run the fitness side of the session, were also there to give you tips or an ear if you needed it.

For me, this youth club helped me to understand and educate my mind on so many things you would not consider in normal day-to-day life.

After a short while of being part of the TPC family, we all pulled together and started reaching out within the community and surrounding towns/villages. We spoke to the younger generations and teens to let them know all of the great facilities that are available to them, may I add, totally free of charge including boxing, music sessions, drama, and football. Once the younger individuals were made aware of all on offer, the local crime rates decreased quite rapidly.

There are so many different kinds of people who have walked through the doors into The Pythian Club HQ, and each and every person was individually welcomed with open arms and made part of the TPC family.

Soon after the heirarchy began noticing all the positive impacts; and the efforts in the community began to be recognised. We were then invited to join meetings with Boots, where Callum and I were instrumental in the organisation and planning that went into the ‘we event’. This was an opportunity to invite loads of different organizations, from all over the country, to say a huge thank you for everyone’s help on making such a huge impact on the younger and upcoming generations. We also supplied coaches so ensure everybody could attend. The outcome was huge, and over 12,500 people attended this events as we head lined: Prince Harry and Megan Markle, Liam Payne, Conor Maynard, Pixie Lott, and so many other well known celebrities!

Not long after that, we noticed a steep increase in the knife crime across the UK. As a group we wanted to make a difference. We started by going out as a group into city centres, approached the younger individuals, asked them what we could do, and explain the consequences of carrying these dangerous items. We spoke to them about local facilities, which they were not getting, due to them being vandalized, shut down, or very poorly run. We decided to create a short play and approached the Nottinghamshire Police Commissioner then ‘Paddy Tipping’,  to see if he would be able to help us get funding to take this play further. We ended up hiring the theatre in Arnold, had schools bring coaches full of people, in order to educate them and highlight the dangers of carrying a knife or using one. We also went into a young offenders unit to make them aware too. We received so much great feed back from that, and ended up on the BBC News.

We were invited to the Crime Beats awards, again receiving more recognition for the positive impact on the local area.

The opportunities with this TPC family are absolutely endless and I’d recommend anyone to try it out! I would not be the person I am today without this team behind me, and you just can’t help but enjoy your time there.

Steve Vaccarini,
University of Nottingham

Hi Ben,  I just want to say a big belated Thanks!  for taking part in the panel at the Politics careers and placements event last week.

I've already had several students talk to me about how helpful they found it and how interesting the speakers were.  fingers crossed it leads to  even more engagement between the uni and TPC!

Thank you so much again for taking the time to participate and inspire and inform our students about future career directions!

Sakeator Taylor, Parent

Excellent work guys!!!! Just want to say a big thankyou to you all and to Jesse Giles for the time and patience and all his effort at boxing with my boys and the rest of the group. Its really appreciated!! You guys deserve the best!!

Esme Mcauley

Hi, I just wanted to say it’s such a pleasure to see TPC going from strength to strength. Not only we’re you great during covid with food parcels and then bikes, but now things are getting back to normal it’s great to see the new hub & garden, see you working with the Cllrs, Uni’s and other community groups, have loved what you’ve been doing recently with drill music too. I take my hat off to you Ben, you’re doing a great job, it’s impressive to follow. Keep going!

Kyran Dunne

Thanks to The Pythian Club, Benjamin Rosser & Kelly Hetaraka. Me and my girlfriend have managed to achieve a home together in such a short amount of looking time!

Due to their support, mental health support also we have not been challenged to change our minds about our dreams and future.

If you work hard, things you deserve will come in time.

TPC, positive vibes only.

Oliver Bonser

Just a personal message to thank you for everything you do for our community in Nottingham. Being from Bilborough, I know how much projects you do help our youth today.

Please never stop your mission!

Parent

She is absolutely loving boxing and talks about nothing else! Thank you all! From 0% confidence to 100%.

Justin Colombo

I just want people to know that without Ben's support and guidance in certain key moments in my life, I don't know what I would be doing right now. I'm not saying it to brag or lie, I'm being dead as serious. My life could have been way different from the way it is right now. So again, thank you to all the support I've received from all The Pythian Club members in the past years and Ben.

Parent, October HAF

My son is autistic and struggles to attend clubs and activities but thanks to support from the fantastic Tania, he has been able to attend activities and had an absolute blast. He was able to join in with others and try new things which has given him a huge confidence boost and will no doubt, open doors to him trying more new things in the future. Tanias' understanding, patience and positivity made it possible for my son to access this opportunity, thank you so much, you’re making a huge difference and we are very grateful.

Andrew McGory

The Pythian Club have put a lot of hard work and dedication into the community.

I've even noticed that when you re-opened the new Basford Community Centre within the community I grew up in, an area with lot of gun and knife crime, has become more safe and enjoyable and you deserve a lot of credit. #Positivity #Equals #Happiness.

Kaine Poxon

Saw your recent story with the awards and I have to say keep up the great work and I wish you the best of luck.

Aidan Coates, Nottingham College

I have been watching you and your team interacting with my students and giving them an "out" to vent any pent-up emotion that they may have. They are getting a thrill out of these sessions and hopefully will join your club in out of college sessions. I also noticed that the lads you are teaching are calmer as a result. I wanted to thank you and your team personally, for all the good work you are doing, and I hope that you and the team get recognition for the good work that you are doing here at London Road campus.

Nikki Ruparelia, Parent

Kyle is home educated and since moving to the area he hasn't really settled. Today at his first session, just upon entering the class it felt so welcoming. Kyle has been asking all day 'is it time to go yet?'.

Happy child! Even taking away some of a child's anxiety for a few minutes, or giving them a way out for what they are going through in their minds, for just a couple of hours even per week, you guys are great!

This is exactly what I have been looking for! thank you!

England Football

We hope you are well and enjoying the season after what has been an incredibly challenging couple of years for leagues and clubs up and down the country.

Firstly, we would like to thank you for the resilience you and your fellow league and club officers within your organisation have shown over this period. Without your dedication and enthusiasm many players would not be playing today. It is testament to your efforts that football is back, providing all the enjoyment and benefits to hundreds of thousands of players, officials, parents, coaches, spectators, and many others who love our nation’s game.

Roxana Arida

I didn't know much about the Pythian Club. I was looking for some activities to do for my son, and I found it here. He can't wait to start the boxing, every single day he is asking me when you are you open, he is so excited. Hope it will start soon.

Also, many thanks for the Easter eggs. You are doing an amazing thing helping the community.

Castle Cavendish

We’re really proud of the work you guys are doing! Your passion is really inspiring and we’re delighted to offer support wherever we can.

Christian Pearson

Not really sure how to say this, which is a first for me lol, the achievements I have made in my life over the last 6 months have even rocked me, found the most loving and caring people I have ever had the privilege to meet, Ben Rosser, Kirsty, Kelly, Jess, Nick, Lee, Luke, the list goes on. What they do for the community is staggering! They have welcomed me to a level that words cannot clarify. Having achieved a Social Care qualification, and the opportunity to volunteer at the Club, which is immense by the way, I now find myself in a position where I have acquired my dream job, and who knows where from here.

I would also like to say a big thank you to Xara Lou, who not only introduced me to The Pythian Club, for which I am truly grateful, but for also posting a link on The Pythian Club, from which I have secured my dream job of Youth and Social Care Worker.

I realise this won't be easy, nothing ever is, but I am going to grasp this with open arms 😊 😀 ☺, huge thankyou to Ben and the team for being, in a word, REMARKABLE.

Francesco Lari,
Parish Councillor

I was impressed with the presentation of the Pythian Club to our Parish Council. They had local knowledge and proposed real solutions to solve the issues faced by the youngsters within our most challenging areas.

The Club are not only a sports club, but also offer an effective and practical approach to solve anti -social behaviour, drugs issue and helping youngster to get jobs and generally get on in life. I will certainly support their initiatives in my local area

Delia Horan

I saw Ben (Rosser) on the Forest Rec the other day and he was talking to someone. I wanted to shake his hand but obvs not allowed any more thanks to covid 🙄 but seriously I wanted to just say thank you for all the amazing things Ben & his team do in/for the community.  
 From what I see on social media, you do some truly incredible things & offer so much support & opportunity to the kids & young people in the community. 😀

Carl Isle

Had a walk around the revamped Nottingham Castle today and was blessed to see a picture of Omari in this great The Pythian Club t-shirt.

You truly deserved to have this picture hanging, this is the best youth community group not only in the city but in the East Midlands and beyond.

Respect to you and the team 🙌

Chloe, TPC Sustainability Ambassador

Hear one of The Pythian Club’s Sustainability Youth Action Ambassador’s, Chloe, sharing her thoughts on climate change on BBC Radio 1.

Jakub Sobkowiak

We really appreciate what you guys do for us - Friday Football - looking forward to the next ones.

Kev Hatton

Very rare do I use Facebook for work but I wanted to share The Pythian Club’s page and encourage as many people as possible to follow and support these guys.

Nottingham based, but branching out into Sheffield, as well as other areas too, the work they do in supporting young people and communities is incredible. All led by the main man, Benjamin Rosser.

Ziah McClaren

Just want to give a massive shoutout to The Pythian Club and community for showing me love and support over the past year. Most importantly giving me confidence and experience to be able to work with young adults/kids. on the back of this I have also achieved my FA level 2 Football Coaching, Level 1 Talent Identification & have now got my own Sunday league team in Sheffield that I coach/manage and I’m really enjoying it.

Alex Owusu

Ben Rosser joined us for our careers event held in conjunction with the School of Politics and International Relations, focusing on students who were interested in working in the charity/third sector. He delivered a very engaging and impassioned talk amongst the panel of speakers, detailing his career journey, the current work of The Pythian Club and how they were keen to work with students who had a passion for this area. 

 Ben has delivered talks at a variety of career-based events at the University of Nottingham to highlight the work The Pythian Club do, the impact of their work on individuals and communities, how students can support their work, and how students can support their own development through volunteering and other opportunities. His contribution at each event has been highly valued.

We continue to work closely with Ben and The Pythian Club to provide opportunities for our students to gain valuable opportunities and insights into supporting the wider community through youth engagement.

Nichola Sweetman

Just wanted you to know Ben is one of the best guys I’ve known, always there seeing if my kids and I are OK.

Helping young kids get off the streets getting them into boxing or football or other activities, one of the best, just remember that.

Harvey Widdowson, Student

A massive thank you to Ben at The Pythian Club, who has been brilliant in assisting me with my dissertation which is centred around Nottingham knife crime. Ben was extremely knowledgeable and the work The Pythian Club does is absolutely fantastic.

 Brandon Slatcher

‘I’d just like to thank Benjamin Rosser for helping me find myself again, stop all the badness I was doing and get on the right path.

Ben even helped my little brother with finding confidence thank you so much, brother.’

Asad

I’m really proud of The Pythian Club and the work you are doing.

TPC do outstanding and fantastic work for the young people in Nottingham.

I think it’s time your organisation hit the awards this year.

Parent, Summer HAF programme

My son is a lot larger than me now and has often made me nervous and anxious with his aggressive behaviour. Our relationship had broken down. Since attending the Summer Program and meeting another young Sports Coach he believes he can do something more in his life. He has done nothing but praise The Pythian Cub . Attending tonight's boxing session as his mother I can confirm will bring him to every session you deliver because since the Summer Program we argue less and he's really turning his life around.

Josiah Puleston - Young Leader

While I have been a young worker for Pythian I have experienced a lot of people who want to help young people like me and steer them down the right path. As I have worked I can see that our community is not only in a bad environment it is that it needs changing it’s also the lack of care that our government have and that’s why Pythian is a good place. Pythian could  and should be a international job we’re people can help each other. The Pythian club is an amazing place to work because people from different backgrounds have come together and help people who have been through similar situations. We deliver session such as: football, boxing, skate for Change and so on. I think people should work for Pythian because we are a growing company that helps people and yourself.

Nathan, Parent

Thank you Benjamin Rosser & The Pythian Club for the tickets to watch NFFC and Jamaica yesterday, much appreciated and enjoyed.

Tina Ribena, Parent

Thanks for doing your own thing and bringing so much light to our community!! Honestly you are so inspirational! I’m grateful that I have The Pythian Club to access for myself and for my son, to include my friends and point people in your direction.

Your vision brings people and communities together. It shows what can grow from intention. It’s beyond important! Thank you!! And congratulations you deserve this recognition!