A FORMER boxing champ turned stonemason and actor has returned to his home town of Kendal after more than 30 years in the United States with the intention of helping young people learn the benefits of having a trade.

Chris Crawford, 63, was born in Helme Chase in 1952 and worked as a bricklayer and then a merchant navy man, as well as winning the North West County Boxing Championship.

He moved to America in 1982 where he worked as a stonemason in California and Oregon, as well as a TV actor.

In the last year of his time in the country Mr Crawford set up a not for profit enterprise named Passing on the Trades. The charity works with troubled youngsters with the aim of setting them on a stable path in life by teaching them a trade.

“I moved back to Kendal a month ago because I wanted to be near my family again and I had had enough of city life,” said Mr Crawford.

“I had quite a journey out in America. I only went out for a holiday but ended up staying for 33 years. I ran Passing on the Trades in America for some of the kids who have had a rough life and I tried to get them involved in trades.”

Mr Crawford said he had firsthand experience of how important a trade could be in helping get life's back on track after spending a year in prison in Liverpool in his 20s.

“My trade has helped me through my life,” he said. “I want to work with pretty much anyone who might be interested in trades. There are a lot of people working in the construction industry but there aren’t many young ones and I think there are a lot of opportunities there and I want to try and see if I can help people take them.”

Anyone who wants to learn more about Passing on the Trades can go to its website at www.passingonthetrades.weebly.com