At one point, Ben Cookson had lost everything. His house, his business, his family – all gone. What followed was a decade-long spiral into addiction that left him homeless on the streets of East Devon.
Today, though, the 50-year-old spends his Wednesday evenings in a very different place: leading boxing classes inside St David’s Church, Exeter.
“I basically went on a 10-year bender and just smashed my life to bits and ended up homeless,” he said. “Since the day I came to church, I've never touched drugs or alcohol – that's four years.”
Cookson’s story, which has been reported by the local BBC Devon network, is as much about survival as it is about transformation.
After first walking through the doors of the city-centre church four years ago, born-again Ben began using fitness and boxing to reconnect with himself, his Christian faith and other members of the community.
What started as personal healing has grown into a free weekly programme called Fitter for Faith, open to anyone battling addiction, personal struggles, or simply looking to get healthier.
The classes aren’t just about building stamina. For Cookson, they’re a gateway to deeper conversations.
“People don't openly want to talk to a random stranger about their trauma, or the shame or guilt they might carry,” he explained. “What the boxing does is it that it builds a relationship, and then when I share some of my experience with people they really open up.”
Cookson has been running the church sessions for two years now, using his past not as a burden but as a bridge.
His philosophy is simple: faith, fitness, and fellowship can go hand in hand.
Reverend Mike Clark, vicar at St David’s, believes the unconventional mix of boxing and church community has been a blessing.
“I just think it's amazing what Ben is doing bringing in such a variety of people,” he said. “Boxing is not something I'd have ever thought about doing in a church but I can see how it enables him to connect with people.”
The sessions, Clark added, are open to everyone without expectation or pressure – a safe space for people to explore both health and, if they wish, faith.
The impact of Fitter for Faith goes beyond those recovering from addiction. For 74-year-old Moira Dale, the classes are a vital part of her week.
“It's teaching them discipline, control, and everything else like that. It's just the best thing,” she said. “If it's doing that for me, what is it doing for these other young people.”
Her words reflect what many at the church have seen: boxing isn’t just exercise, it’s a tool for growth – mental, physical, and spiritual.
Looking back, Cookson knows how close he came to losing it all for good. “The recession came … I lost my house, my business, my family and in my mid-30s, I turned to cocaine for the first time,” he recalled.
That choice nearly destroyed him. Addiction is a powerful and unrelenting foe.
Now, with gloves strapped on and pads in hand, Ben Cookson is building something new – for himself and for others.
And in the quiet nave of a Devon church, the sound of punches hitting leather has become a soundtrack of hope.
