Bournemouth-based Holt Recruitment took on an intense 24-hour boxing marathon this May, raising a record-breaking £10,500 for local families charity Home-Start Wessex.

Home-Start Wessex offers friendship, practical support and emotional advice to parents in Dorset with at least one child under 5 when they are in crisis, providing specialist groups and one-to-one home visits.

Across 24 hours, the team punched through 4,000 rounds on the bags – fuelled by grit, community spirit, and a great cause. The event marked Holt Recruitment’s latest annual fundraising challenge, continuing a proud tradition of giving back through bold and demanding initiatives. 

In previous years, the team have cycled the equivalent of the Tour de France, run a 24-hour marathon. Last year, they climbed the height of Everest via Bournemouth’s iconic zig-zags, raising over £7,000 for Home-Start Wessex.

This year’s effort topped all previous fundraising records. With over £5,000 raised through donations alone, Holt Recruitment’s Managing Director, Stuart Holt, personally matched every pound, taking the final total to just over £10,500 – the largest single donation Home-Start Wessex has ever received.

The money raised will help Home-Start Wessex continue its life-changing work, particularly when demand for its services is rising due to the ongoing cost-of-living pressures.

Last year, the funds raised by Holt Recruitment provided six months of personalised support to eight Dorset families. This year’s record-breaking total will enable the charity to help even more families facing incredibly difficult circumstances.

Throughout the 24 hours, the challenge became so much more than a company event — it turned into a true community effort. Local businesses stepped up in a big way: SANDS2 Sandwich Bar and Barbara’s Bier Haus Bournemouth kept the Holt team fuelled with delicious food and sweet treats, while Carbon Claw generously provided the gloves and kit that carried them through every round. Coaches and young athletes from Arena Boxing, a local non-profit boxing gym, gave up their Friday evening to take over the bags, giving the team a vital moment to shower, recharge, and reset for the night shift.

Stuart Holt said: “This challenge was tough, but nothing compared to what many of the families Home-Start Wessex supports face every day. We are incredibly proud of our team, humbled by the generosity of our supporters, and grateful to everyone who helped us smash our goal.

Friends, family, and members of the wider community popped in throughout the day – some to cheer us on, others to throw a few rounds themselves – reminding us that this challenge was never just about boxing. It was about coming together for a cause that matters.”

Caroline Pope, Corporate Partnerships & Marketing Manager at Home-Start Wessex added: “We have been working with Holt for about three years, and their support has been amazing. All the staff get involved. 

They’ve done some crazy things over the years for charity, and their fundraising efforts have made a huge difference. This year’s challenge was hard work, but the whole team looked like they were enjoying it, and there was a great sense of team spirit.”

The Holt Recruitment Group is an ever-expanding group of recruitment specialists who have secured an impressive base of Automotive, Engineering and Professional Services clients within the Automotive, Aerospace, Defence and Precision Engineering sectors across the UK.

Over the last year, Home-Start Wessex has transformed 1,682 lives, helping a record 501 families. 

Their reach covers the Purbecks, Swanage, Weymouth, Dorchester, Bridport, the whole of the BCP Council area, including Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch, across the borders of Hampshire and Wiltshire, going as far north as Cranborne and Fordingbridge and as far east as New Milton – a huge area with a population of over 650,000, including many pockets of high-level deprivation.

The charity is actively recruiting kind, compassionate volunteers to offer emotional and practical support to parents with young children.