A school teacher from Dorchester is preparing to take part in a boxing match to raise money for charity.

Matt Roberts, 54, teaches PE at Dorchester Middle School and has signed up to take part in a Sounding Out charity boxing match at the Thomas Hardye School on December 16.

He was inspired to raise money for the Joseph Weld Hospice in Dorchester following the tragic death of his mother-in-law Nicole Crane from ovarian cancer in 2021.

The hospice provided end-of-life care for Mrs Crane and Matt had already raised money for the charity previously.

Mr Roberts said: “We can’t praise them highly enough.

“I did a charity run from London to Brighton and raised £2,500, but since then I have not done much charity work.

“Then, I bumped into Nic Bale, the head coach at Dorchester boxing club, and he said to my wife that I should do their charity boxing match coming up."

The event will feature 15 fights of three rounds of three minutes a piece with Matt's training has already underway as he prepares for the fight night.

He added: “I am a runner, I am not a natural boxer, but it is a bit different as I have done various marathons before.

“I’ve done Berlin, Paris, London, Amsterdam – about 30 full marathons in total and 100 half marathons – but not all have been for charity.

“We started training on the 13th or 14th of October, and we train two or three times a week so we are all ready.

“It’s going really good, I am sparring with guys in their 20s most of the time, I think I am the oldest person in the cohort."

All the proceeds raised from ticket sales will go to local charities and Matt will also be raising a pound for every punch and jab he receives.

He added: “Most of us don’t have a boxing background but we are all in it together and it is really rewarding.

“But I’m happy to take the punches as it is for a good cause.”

The boxing match will be a white collar boxing event - an amateur boxing event that enables any person, with little or no experience in boxing the chance to be trained by professional coaches and participate in a real live charity boxing match, that is matched in ability with the use of fully protective gear.

Seconds Out boxing was originated from a group of UK experienced boxing coaches, who decided to build a safer than normal white-collar boxing training program.

The purpose of SO Boxing charity events is to help people raise funds for selected local charities, within a reasonable distance to each event.

A Just Giving page has also been set up where people can donate to the cause, and it has already surpassed its total of £250 with over £400 raised.

To donate to Matt’s Just Giving page visit at www.justgiving.com/page/matt-roberts-1692280495531?utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=page%2Fmatt-roberts-1692280495531&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=pfp-share

Or to buy tickets for the event go online to www.soboxing.co.uk.