Cookie Time Charitable Trust Pulls No Punches

Media release
26 November 2012

Cookie Time Charitable Trust Pulls No Punches with Billy Graham Book Launch

Former national boxing champion, youth mentor and globally acclaimed motivational speaker Billy Graham will launch his newly published biography at a special event at the Cookie Time factory shop this month.

Presented by the Cookie Time Charitable Trust (CTCT), the launch will showcase the man behind the book with Billy Graham speaking about his work with troubled youth at the NaeNae Boxing Academy. CTCT has been a long time supporter of the Boxing Academy, supplying One Square Meal bars free for students.

Billy’s biography, written with Phil Gifford and titled ‘Making Champion Men’, is a candid look at Billy’s work with troubled youth and some home truths from his own challenging childhood when many of his mates went off the rails. Thanks to a local boxing trainer, Billy turned his life around and went on to be a New Zealand boxing champion.

The experience gave him an insight into how training, discipline and a bit of tough love can make all the difference. And it’s a recipe he’s been remarkably successful in employing at the NaeNae Boxing Academy, which he set up seven years ago. From this awards have flowed, local police say youth crime is down 30%, and a detailed Massey University study confirmed the academy’s amazing ability to help troubled boys become good young men.

Billy Graham says the book gives parents and people working with youth a practical guide to helping boys turn into good men. "The winning edge is what you do, that your opposition/opponent won't do," he says.

As well as supplying One Square Meal bars– recently patented as the first in a whole new class of nutritionally balanced food and beverage – to the Academy through the CTCT, Cookie Time Limited has had a longstanding relationship with Billy and has called on him as a motivational speaker for numerous franchisee and Christmas Cookies seller conferences over the past 20 years.

CTL founder and CTCT trustee Michael Mayell says Billy’s story is an incredible one and the NaeNae Boxing Academy a testament to his passion and dedication to making a difference. “You'll never forget a few moments in the company of Billy Graham, he's doing what he loves and loving what he's doing, and it shows,” Michael says.

Meet Billy over a coffee and hot cookie, and receive your own signed copy of his book at: Cookie Time factory shop, 789 Main South Road, Templeton: Thursday 29 November, 5.30pm-7pm.

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