The HoodEx Hub - North Tyneside

16 days at work in Denmark done. I now get back for my 12 days of HoodEx and I need to magic up the following out of nowhere before I head back to graft:

• Weights bench and weights
• Treadmill
• Cable pulley machine thingy
• Exercise mats
• Boxing equipment
• Any random fitness equipment

If anyone can help in any way, pop me (Ricky Gleeson) a DM please, and I'll arrange a chat.

Many thanks people!

Hi all.

I'm Ricky Gleeson, the founder and commercial and fitness manager of HoodEx. I racked up a load of convictions as a young man, then sorted myself out, got into the armed forces in my 30's, spent 14 years doing that, and now I build wind turbines offshore for a living. Throw in a decade of homelessness and a sprinkle of drug addiction for good measure and it's safe to say I've lived a life.

This whole thing started with me selling hoodies, then using the money to pay for gym memberships for ex‑offenders and young people at risk of offending… Hence the name HoodEx.

For my bit of The Turnaround Project I'm gonna run a vintage and HoodEx branded sports clothes shop downstairs in The Hub, but I need 6 volunteers to help me. We'll hand‑pick items, treat them, up‑cycle stuff, and make our own branded clothing on site.

The catch is that whoever volunteers to do that with me, has to then train in the gym upstairs, often with one of our fitness instructors, eat the healthy food we provide, and basically get into tip‑top shape so we can set an example to the young people who come to join us.

We'll then be on hand to advise and mentor any young people that get referred to us.

Would be well suited to people who've been in a bit of bother (no s*x crimes or crimes against children obviously) and know that's a crap way to live, and would like to steer people away from making the same mistakes we did.

DM me if this sounds like something of interest.

It's always good to get out and meet people who care about their community.

Recently we attended NE29 Youth organised by Northumbria Police, where local organisations and Police Cadets came together to learn more about what's happening across North Tyneside.

For us, it was all about conversations. Meeting new people, sharing ideas, hearing about the work others are doing, and exploring how we can all play a part in creating more opportunities for young people.

As The Hub continues to take shape, those connections matter. We want The Hub to be a place where people feel welcome, where communities come together, and where positive things can happen.

Thanks to everyone who helped organise the event. We look forward to seeing where these new connections lead.

Photo caption: Darren Stapleton with Christiane Hiley, Turn-Around Project Coordinator

MORE PEOPLE STEPPING FORWARD FOR LOCAL YOUNG PEOPLE

At the end of May, six fantastic volunteers completed their HoodEx mentor training and are now preparing to support young people through the Turn-Around Project.
It's encouraging to see more people giving their time, energy and experience to help young people feel supported, heard, and encouraged. That's exactly the kind of community we're building around The Hub.

A huge thank you to Christiane and Ron for delivering the training and supporting our new mentors on the start of their journey.

Mentoring isn't about having all the answers. It's about showing up, listening, building trust, and helping a young person see the possibilities ahead of them.
As The Hub continues to develop, we're excited to see more volunteers, mentors and community partners getting involved and helping create positive opportunities for local young people.

Could you be part of it?

We're currently looking for more volunteer mentors and community volunteers to join us.

To find out more, email Christiane at [email protected]

Part of The Hub will be a sportswear section but with a slight twist....

Along with a constant selection of affordable, hand picked vintage & retro stock, plus our own branded items, we'll also be promoting independent designers, and none come better than former Berghaus designer Rosie Dobbie, with her repurposed items made from pre-worn clothing headed for landfill.

With prices ranging from £40 - £200, here's a small selection of what to expect.

Let us know what you think of the items below the pictures!!

Class donation and essentially our first bit of stock!!

Big thanks to Dan for dropping these down to us.

We have to get this place operational yesterday because the boxing club needs to get going.

I'm going to "have a bash" at it today if we can't get some help asap as we're struggling to find a plumber to help us out.

If anyone thinks they can offer some assistance to make sure it's done properly, please message us. There may be some budget to use if it's affordable.

RG.

Just gonna post as myself (Ricky Gleeson) rather than as the organisation even though I'm not really supposed to, but that's okay because I don't always do what I'm told.

This shouldn't be sitting there doing nothing and we've got a really good idea. We're going to turn it into a sports shop with a gym upstairs, and run it with young people at risk of offending or people already caught up in stuff, then use the proceeds to all train together upstairs at Bedford Street Boxing Club and get fit, healthy, motivated, and keep each other out of trouble.

It's not a given we pull this off though. When I get back from Denmark (I work out here) I've got 9 days to turn it into the start of what our vision is before I fly back out. My problem is that I think it's better to try and fail than not try at all.

Needs a deep clean, shop fittings (I think I've got those), and some reliable volunteer staff to help me sell sandwiches and clothing alongside 1 or 2 young people hopefully.

I'm back on the 29th. If anyone local can help me clean, or fancies manning the shop for a few hours (especially in the morning) it would help us get to where we're determined to get to.

DM me or the page if you can get involved.