A boxing champion from Derby has donated a whopping £30,000 to the Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre charity after being watched by thousands winning a landmark ‘Homecoming’ fight in the city.
Former World Middleweight Champion Alan Graves Jr knocked out Germany’s David Kerkmann in the ring at Vaillant Live on December 20 and following the encounter has donated a huge £30,000 to the much-loved children’s charity.
The Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre has been going since 1891 and provides seaside stays at its Skegness base for primary-aged youngsters who would otherwise not get a break – whether for financial or other reasons, such as caring for relatives.
Due to rising costs it paused operations in 2025 for a big fundraising campaign and with the support of many donors it will be opening up again for holidays this year.
Alan said the decision to donate to the holiday centre was personal as his grandma Joyce – mother of Derbyshire County Council leader Alan Graves – had attended as a child in the 1950s.
Thousands watched the knock-out fight after buying tickets to watch the spectacle live and via a televised streaming service.
Alan said: “I want to say thank you to everyone who watched the fight. There are no shows without fans so a massive thank you from me. The support was incredible. I’m just a kid from Derby, living life, and loving life, but I’m also living proof that anything is possible.
“The Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre is a charity that’s very close to my heart – my grandma Joyce actually used it around 80 years ago. It’s a local charity and I think everybody in Derby knows somebody who has had to use it before because of their financial situation. It’s a fantastic charity and this was my opportunity to give back.”
Successful businessman Alan – originally from Alvaston – has had an astonishing meteoric journey in boxing after only taking up the sport two years ago aged 33.
Now 35, with just 18 months of professional boxing under his belt, he has won every one of his six professional fights giving him a 100 per cent knock out rate.
Former Landau Forte College pupil Alan is also the former CEO of the highly successful company DoNotAge.org, for which he is now involved in clinical research.
Charity CEO Janine Holmes said: “Thank you so much to Alan Graves for donating this phenomenal amount of money – £30,000. It’s a huge sum that will have a big impact on our charity as we work to become more sustainable in the years to come.
“We are very proud to have raised enough money to open again in 2026 but the fundraising definitely does not stop. If anything, now is a more important time than ever for us to be raising money for our beloved charity. We’re very proud to be offering free holidays once again to children who really need them and we’ve come up with a whole range of initiatives to support ourselves moving forward, including low-cost school residential trips.
“This donation from Alan Graves will have a big impact on the work we are able to do to keep our charity going for many more years to come – we’re blown away by his generosity and are extremely grateful.”
This story was written and shared on behalf of The Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre by Lucy Stephens. Can we share your news and get you in the headlines too? Find out how we can help by getting in touch.
