Trish Bailey’s been preparing hard for her second amateur boxing bout and believes the sport has transformed her mental health.

The 33-year-old from Gravesend is fighting on the latest Kent Charity Boxing Show (KCB) in Lordswood next weekend and has been working hard at Gillingham’s Kent Gloves gym in preparation.

Bailey admits she rarely left the house due to her health before the photographer for KCB encouraged her to get into boxing and even a defeat in her first bout hasn’t dampened her enthusiasm.

She said: “This time last year I was in a really bad place and I didn’t leave the house. Maria, the photographer, kind of dragged me along and it’s changed me dramatically and now I enjoy going to the gym.

“It’s done wonders for me and so to be doing something that’s helping me plus helping other people, it’s a bonus really.”

The boxing charity are staging their final show of the year on December 8 with money going towards the family of a young boy, Lenny, who spent last Christmas in intensive care. His parents are keen to donate presents to other children in a similar situation this year.

Kent Charity Boxing run free training sessions to anyone wanting to get into boxing, with a chance to fight on a future promotion.

Along with David Shepherd’s Kent Gloves gym in Gillingham, KCB also operate out of Bills Boxing in Ashford, Craig Douglin’s Up-Grade gym in Bexhill and TKO in Maidstone, all offering an opportunity for beginners to take up boxing.

It’s been a great experience so far for Bailey, who said: “It’s like one big family and I think the discipline of the boxing really has helped.

“I’m classed as a schizophrenic, so I hear voices and stuff like that, but I’m going to the gym whenever I can and I’ve been there about four or five months now.

“I’ve also lost a lot of weight, it has dropped dramatically, and it feels like I’ve got a routine again. It gets me out.

“I definitely feel a lot fitter and I am even going on runs in the evening now. You’d never catch me doing that before, ever! Even now, when it’s cold and wet and windy, I’ll go on a 20-minute run.

“I’ve got somewhere to go, so I don’t have to lock myself away, there are people around me that want to help, which is good.

“I didn’t know what to expect from my first bout and how I was going to cope, I was very emotional. I had to put my dog down two days before as well, it was just a rough weekend, even though it was on my birthday.

“But I still did it, I got in there, I learned a lot and now we go again.

“I don’t know who I am up against, which is probably a bit better for me, because when I make friends with people, I tend to go soft!”

Tickets are available for the show priced from £25 standing, with a host of other amateur boxers in action including main-event boxer Kayden Garlinge, Charlie Howard, Chloe Bayliss, Kcee Beake, Malcolme Simpson, Eden Hallam, Albie Campbell, Riley Sunday, George Phipps, Franco Robb, Alfie Brookes, Freddie Wilford, Bradley McDade, Reggy Atherton, Harry Leighton, Archie Hudson, Levi Hilden, Lenny Church, Donnie Northey, Bobbie Beaney, Ashton Cooper, Tommy Windmill, Kaylen Cobb, Keane Waldon and Alfie Towers.