Two years ago, after experiencing bullying and violence, 14-year-old Sonny saw a locked, disused building in the centre of Andover and imagined something completely different.

He imagined a free gym where young people could become stronger without becoming bullies themselves.

That first idea was called Sonny’s Gym. Since then, Sonny and his friend Leo have developed it into Rumble Bee Fight Back Club: an ambitious proposal combining fitness, disciplined martial arts, mentoring, healthy living, confidence and belonging.

Now we need Test Valley Borough Council to help give the idea a home.

We ask the Council to enter formal community-asset negotiations with Rumble Bee Fight Back Club and agree in principle to provide the disused former public conveniences near the old Sainsbury’s site in Bridge Street, Andover, on a secure lease of at least 25 years at a peppercorn rent of £1 per year.

Why this building?

The former public conveniences are no longer serving Andover. Rumble Bee wants to transform them into a safe, distinctive community gym and wellbeing centre offering free access to people who genuinely cannot afford ordinary membership fees.

Planned activities could include:

• Boxing and martial arts taught through discipline and self-control
• Weights, cardio and general fitness
• Meditation and emotional-wellbeing sessions
• Healthy-food and practical life lessons
• Confidence building and mentoring
• Support towards education, training and meaningful employment
• Structured opportunities for young people who need somewhere positive to belong

Rumble Bee’s principle is simple:

WE TRAIN TO PROTECT, NOT TO BULLY.

Andover has experienced serious concerns about antisocial behaviour, violence and young people entering dangerous derelict buildings.

This petition does not blame, identify or accuse any individual young person.

It asks a different question:

What if we did not simply move young people away from danger, but gave them somewhere better to go?

Rumble Bee would welcome people who have been frightened, bullied or excluded. It would also welcome young people at risk of making harmful choices—provided they enter peacefully, accept the Member Code and genuinely want to change.

Accountability matters. So does opportunity.

No baby is born bad.

Why £1 per year?

The symbolic rent would allow Test Valley to retain ownership of the building while giving Rumble Bee enough long-term security to seek refurbishment grants, charitable funding, sponsorship and professional support.

The proposed lease would not mean handing an unsafe building straight to two young people.

Occupation would begin only after an appropriately constituted charitable organisation, governed by responsible adult trustees, had demonstrated satisfactory arrangements for:

• Building surveys and a costed refurbishment plan
• Planning permission and Building Regulations
• Fire, structural and asbestos safety
• Accessibility and inclusive design
• Safeguarding and qualified supervision
• Insurance and security
• Funding and sustainable operation

The lease could contain development milestones, community-use protections and provisions allowing the Council to recover the building if the project did not proceed or stopped delivering its intended public benefit.

This is not a request for Test Valley to fund an untested fantasy.

It is a request for the Council to open the door to formal discussions and let Sonny, Leo, future trustees, local professionals and the people of Andover develop a responsible proposal.

One unused building cannot solve every problem in Andover.

But it could become the place where hundreds of better stories begin.

Please sign this petition and ask Test Valley Borough Council to give Rumble Bee Fight Back Club the opportunity to turn an abandoned public building into a place of strength, discipline, wellbeing and belonging.

DO NOT SIMPLY MOVE YOUNG PEOPLE AWAY FROM DANGER. GIVE THEM SOMEWHERE BETTER TO GO.

THEY ARE NOT THE ENEMY. THEY ARE THE MISSION.