In this week's episode of Empire Fighting Chance, Neil talks about the role that business can play with young people in offering opportunities to avoid a path into youth violence, crime and unemployment. It's Nick Day; a businessman of 30 years who is supporting Empire through 'Box Careers' and recently became an Empire community ambassador.

However, he is better known as the voice of Bristol Rovers Football Club. He was the MC at the ground for many years, known for his catchphrase "I can smell gas". He has interviewed top boxers, including world champion Lee Haskins from the Sanigar stable, and his son has benefited from programs at Empire and gone on to fight as an amateur boxer.

Neil and Nick discuss business, boxing, and football.

To support Empire Fighting Chance and to find out more about the work we do, head to www.empirefightingchance.org

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In this episode of the empire fighting chance podcast its back to urban violence. Neil talks to Oscar Santiago Uribe Rocha aka Santiago, who was the first Chief Resilience officer of Medellin in Columbia; formerly the most dangerous city in the world, it radically turned that reputation around over the last 15 years.

Santiago was heavily involved in that process of reformation. He was the world's second appointed Chief Resilience officer; a role that works with cities to build resilience and opportunity, and to address violence by building a more sustainable response to it, being proactive rather than reactive.

From 2007 to 2010, he served as an administrative assistant on cultural and economic affairs at the Colombian Embassy in South Africa, working alongside Nelson Mandela.

Neil and Santiago discuss his expertise in the field of violence reduction and what lessons can be brought home to Bristol and beyond.

To support Empire Fighting Chance and to find out more about the work we do, head to www.empirefightingchance.org

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In previous episodes of the Empire Fighting Chance podcast we've spoken about young people and the challenges that they face in today's society. In this episode Neil Maggs talks to a young man that stepped into the gym several years ago lacking confidence, suffering from social anxiety and being bullied at school. Boxing, in his own words, saved his life.

So what was it that helped transform him? What was it about boxing that was instrumental in his development? His name's Matt Lawrence. He is now a coach at Empire, working with young people that were just like him. He's just signed a professional contract with Chris Sanigar to fight in Bristol and expects to make his debut in the autumn. Neil talks to him about his journey and how far he wants to go in the sport.

To support Empire Fighting Chance and to find out more about the work we do, head to www.empirefightingchance.org

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