Lifstan Boys & Girls
A community club built around young people. For generations, Lifstan Boys & Girls Club has provided a home for youth, grassroots sport & recreation in Southend-on-Sea-with Southend Boxing Club at its sporting core.
Rooted in tradition
Nearly a century of youth and community provision at Lifstan Way as a member club of NABGC /EAGBC
Boxing At Its Core
Home of Southend Boxing Club since the 1990s
The Next 100 years
A new purpose- built clubhouse is now being constructed at Lifstan Way- Opening a new chapter in 2027
Two Histories. one home
Two Southend institutions with their own histories, brought together at Lifstan Way- now looking toward a new century together.
1913- Southend Boxing Club
Established in 1913, carrying more than a century of amateur boxing heritage.
1928-Lifstan Boys Club
Founded by local Parishioners as a young mens club, the beginnings of a story that has provided generations of young people with somewhere to belong, participate and develop.
2027- The Lifstan Club House
A new purpose-built home for grassroots sport, recreation and community activity at Lifstan Way.
2028- Liftsan at 100
A century of civic service- and the beginning of the next 100 years.
The Lifstan Story-Roots In Southchurch
Lifstan's story reaches back to the inter-war years when the Lifstan Young Men's Club met in a barn near the Holy Trinity Church, Southchurch.
Young men came together for football, dances and other recreational activities- an early expression of the community spirit that would define Lifstan for generations.
The original club ceased during the 1930's, but the name- and the idea behind it- survived. In 1950, Lifstan Boys Club was re-formed under Alfred P. Goodale and Canon C. P. Norwood, Rector of the Holy Trinity Church.
Lifstan Re-Formed-1950
The first meeting was held over fish and chips in the old school beside Southchurch Parish Hall. From November 1950 the club met twice weekly, before moving to the purpose built prefabricated building in 1954
Building A Club
Reformed in 1950, Lifstan quickly became more than somewhere for young people to spend an evening. It was a club built through local effort, volunteering and a belief that young people deserved somewhere for their own.
By 1952, around 40 boys aged 12-16 were members- with more waiting to join because the club simply did not have enough room.
Built
BUILT BY THE COMMUNITY
Rather than rely on public funding, the early club raised money through its own efforts- building activities, equipment and accomodation from the ground up.
MORE THAN SPORT
Billiards, table tennis, darts and cricket sat alonside visits to local factories, the fire station and waterworks- combining recreation with real world experiences beyond the club.
Real Results
With membership already at capacity, Lifstan began raising funds for additional accomodation and looking towards a more permanet home for its