News

Floor fitter Millie receives company backing in the ring

Wednesday, April 27th, 2016

A Hull-based flooring specialist has thrown its weight behind one of its trainees as she makes her mark in the boxing world.

Millie O’Neill, 17, is a trainee floor fitter at Contract Flooring & Interiors Ltd (CFI) by day and a teenage boxing sensation in her spare time, recently winning her third National and first Youth title.

She trains at St Paul’s Boxing Academy in Hull city centre and fights in the UK and abroad with England Boxing, taking to the ring as part of the England Squad in Tenerife and Hungary in the past year.

Now, CFI has agreed to sponsor Millie’s kit, including custom-made shorts and boots, which she will wear with pride in the ring, cementing her floor fitting career with her favourite sport.

Millie, of west Hull, who works full time for CFI, said: “I get picked up in a morning and go to the job.

“I help to move everything around and they teach me while they work, then I get involved and they give me jobs to do. I’m learning all the time and will be going to college further down the line.

“I like being practical and hands on, and I much prefer doing this job to being in an office.

“I love what I do and it’s great to have these skills under my belt, but I’d also love to make a career out of boxing.

“Everyone at CFI has been really helpful and I’m so pleased and grateful the company is sponsoring my kit.

“Boxing gear is really expensive and so is travelling for training and competing. I really appreciate the support.”

CFI is established as one of the largest commercial flooring companies in the North of England.

It boasts hundreds of clients from both the public and private sector, from councils and schools to local building firms and national construction companies.

CFI is part of the FM+ group of companies, which also includes the award-winning Green Commercial Cleaning, and their logos will also be added to Millie’s kit.

At just 16 years old, Millie, who boxes at 46-48kg weight, was the only female in Hull to hold two Yorkshire Boxing titles and two National titles, and only started boxing at the age of 13.

Millie, a former Kelvin Hall School pupil, said: “In Hungary, I boxed the world silver medallist from the Ukraine in the quarter finals and lost. But she went on to win, so I didn’t feel too bad.

“I have always been a bit of a tom boy. But outside of boxing, I’m quite girlie.

“Boxing is what I enjoy and I’m determined to do well in the sport but also at work with CFI.

“My colleagues and family have been really supportive and the lads at CFI are really interested in my boxing.”

Maxine Saffery, commercial manager at FM+, said the company was delighted to sponsor Millie’s kit, which costs more than £500.

“Millie is one of our own and we are a big believer in Hull, and supporting local talent,” she said.

“She is very determined and dedicated, and is so humble and modest about her achievements.

“As a trainee floor fitter, she is really proud of her work but still has the commitment to train and compete during evenings and weekends, which is wonderful.

“Everyone at CFI is really proud of Millie and we want to support our staff as much as possible.

“We believe she’s on the right track to make her mark in the world of boxing.”