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Islington Tribune - by ROISIN GADELRAB
Published: 28 November 2008

Henry Cooper with children from Richard Cloudesley School

Our ’Enry pleads for boxing to go on schools curriculum

Ring legend makes £10,000 donation towards primary pupils’ library

BOXING legend Henry Cooper this week called for the sport to be reintroduced in schools.
Mr Cooper OBE spoke to the Tribune at the opening of a library at Richard Cloudesley School, in Whitecross Street, Finsbury.
The boxer made a £10,000 donation towards the library, and the Northern Line Children’s Fund, which throws a Christmas party for the school every year, also gave £10,000.
Mr Cooper, who squared up to Muhammad Ali at Arsenal’s Highbury Stadium in 1966, lamented the loss of boxing from schools.
He said: “Boxing is not good for everybody but every child should be given the opportunity to box. The worst thing they ever did was when they stopped boxing in schools.
“Boxing’s about discipline in your way of life, discipline in training and discipline in the ring and it’s good.”
He added: “When we were kids you never were bullied in school. If you were a bully they’d sort you out, put you in with a kid that’s good at boxing and he’d make you look a chump.”
Mr Cooper said he became attached to the school for children with physical disabilities after a visit several years ago. “The headmistress in those days said she’d contacted eight or nine celebrities and I was the first one that’s ever come,” he said.
“So I said whatever I do I’ll try to help you with different things. Now I always like to keep this school in mind.”
He added: “When you come to see something like this it’s all worthwhile.”

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