Inverness charity event organised by Ultra White Collar Boxing (UWCB) raises more than £21,000 for Cancer Research UK
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A charity boxing event raised more than £21,000 for Cancer Research UK.
Forty fighters took part in the event at Inverness Ironworks on May 14, organised by Ultra White Collar Boxing (UWCB).
Participants received eight weeks of coaching for the two nights of bouts attended by 700 guests.
Sarah Mackay (25) from Alness was one of those who took part.
She lost her bout but still raised £500 for charity, an amount matched by her employer, Cairn Housing Association.
Ms Mackay said: “Everyone was shocked when I started boxing because I’m quite a reserved person. I signed up for UWCB mainly because I lost my friend very young, and things like that impact young people.
“My friend Jordan Ross died at 16. Our mums were best friends and we had grown up together. I was 12 when he died.
“I believe it was blood cancer he had, but because I was so young I was just told it was cancer. I wasn’t allowed to see him in his final months because it would have been so traumatic.
“I was really angry at the world when I was younger, constantly getting kicked out of school because I couldn’t understand what had happened. I thought, if I could raise anything to help stop anyone else going through that same process, then I would do it.
“I’ve also had an uncle die from cancer, and both my grandparents were diagnosed with cancer in the same year though they’re both OK now.
“My auntie, Mary Rae, was diagnosed with cancer in her eye at the end of last year. When I was young I was convinced I would get cancer one day. It feels like the disease has followed me, like it got continually closer."
Ms Mackay added: “UWCB is a great way to fight back. You can do bake sales and things like that, but that’s not going to take you on the emotional and physical journey that Ultra White Collar Boxing does.”
In total, UWCB has raised £134,000 through events in Inverness.
