Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I'm returning to the ring to fight in my second charity white collar boxing match on Saturday 7th June in London's East End in aid of fundraising for Mind - the mental health charity.

Tickets available here: https://www.thewhitecollarfightclub.co.uk/tickets

I have missed competing and have thought about stepping between the ropes again almost every day since my first fight in November 2017.

My motivations for this are many. I want to destroy the stigma of facing mental health challenges and to help others disrupt the hypnotic rhythm of negative thought patterns which can cause anxiety, depression and low self-esteem.

I have spoken openly, but still reluctantly about my own experiences with mental health - hopefully from a constructive point of view to offer others practical solutions and strategies for coping with this themselves.

Still on occasion I experience social anxiety and have to stop myself thinking very poor, damaging and self-sabotaging thoughts about myself. From throwing myself into things like public speaking, acting training and intense exercise I've built up some of the resilience and fleet of foot needed to deal with this.

My last white collar fight was a truly wonderful experience where I learnt so much about myself, made many friends and enjoyed the fight camp from start to finish.

Having my first fight under my belt now makes me appreciate even more the sacrifices and the courage shown by everyone who puts on the gloves and gets into the squared circle.

This includes my late granddad, who fought for Ireland as an amateur, representing his country in the 1950s. He competed against the touring Americans on the Golden Gloves team in Dublin, and the visiting German team in Belfast.

Bob Stewart also was a reserve policeman in Northern Ireland during the Troubles in the 1970s and 80s - doing his shifts in an area very close to the border (which acquired the tagline of being "the most bombed small town" in NI). 

I didn't know him very well at all while he lived, but I have come to look up to him a great deal for his stoicism, bravery and for how he stepped up to do his duty. In the ring he was nicknamed the 'Castlederg Cruiser', and it is this moniker that I seek to do justice to when I compete.

My training camp has already begun, and I've enlisted in the support of several coaches to make my preparation as professional as possible to leave nothing to chance.

My goal is to win the fight, and win well. Being victorious, displaying all of my boxing skill and putting on a good show for the crowd are the objectives.

In my first fight I had almost 50 people down to support me live on the night, which was very humbling and something I'm incredibly grateful for.

I'm inviting you to join 'Team Showtime' in helping me to prepare for this task - and to raise some money for a cause which affects all of our loved ones, every day of their lives.

I'm asking for your support, there are no 'individual' sports or successful solo efforts - only team endeavours.

Let's Go Champ!

Thanks very much