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Link to share: https://www.gofundme.com/manage/safari-mma-faces-collapse-sports-club/

It is no understatement to say that Safari MMA has literally saved lives, and this very platform which has taken 10 years of dedicated work to engage communities across the UK who ordinarily wouldn’t participate in sport, is on the brink of collapse.  Before the first lockdown Safari MMA was spread across 11 locations in major cities in the UK.

Safari MMA is in critical need of financial support, with no idea of when lockdowns will lift, and when classes will be able to return without social distancing in place.  The forecast for the next financial year, without support or a full lift of social distancing, is set for the company to collapse with a forecasted loss of £49,292 for 2021-2022, a debt that would cost not only jobs, but hundreds of members to lose the one thing that has kept them going for so many years.

Why Safari MMA needs your support?

The team’s main goal is to engage the disengaged groups in the community in sport, primarily, but not exclusively through Martial Arts, with specialist focus on trying to engage women and youth who ordinarily wouldn’t consider getting involved in sport, or more importantly have cultural barriers where sport is seen inappropriate for women to be involved in.  Khadijah Safari has spent the past 10 years breaking down barriers by working within these communities herself, as a woman of religious belief she’s been able to successfully educate and lead a change in community’s understanding of sport and has brought about a shift in the way the sport is viewed by the BAME community and also women of religious belief.  The work has since far extended part this to bring focus on out-reach work, helping with mental health prevention, socio-economic groups, victims of domestic violence, concern for youth, crime prevention and self belief in children.  Safari MMA has been running online live sessions during this period at a cost, just to keep people active, however the period of needing to open when lockdowns lift will come at a further cost, as social distancing will mean that running costs are higher, with less members being able to attend class, meaning that classes run at an expense.  If we can get support during this transition period then we can come out healthy on the other side.

Who you’d be helping?   

For the majority of members at Safari MMA, there is no alternative.  This is their only means to access sport in an environment that considers their needs, where they feel mentally safe and can unite and feel equal in society.  To keep Safari MMA running would mean keeping the one place open, for many that gets them through their week, and more often than not is their therapy.  You’d not only keep the company running but you’d also be assisting those members and potential members who due to current circumstances are not able to afford to train, from children through to adults, many of whom are extremely vulnerable.

Your contribution matters

As we see sports clubs crumbling by the day as a result of this pandemic, we will fight and do all that we can to keep Safari MMA open, and your contribution could bring reward for you for many years to come, as you’ll never know how much you really could have changed someone’s life for the better.

And if you can’t afford to contribute?  Please just share with friends and family, your time is appreciated.

Unknown artist, all rights credited

 

Nadiya Sultana, 26, a registered junior Doctor working in the emergency department at Wexham Park Hospital, Slough “the ups feel like you’ve conquered the highest peak; exhausted and breathless but with the clearest view whereas the downs are equally deep and obscure.

Three weeks in isolation, and a lot of us are struggling with burn out, Instagram lives, Tiktoks, Netflix, and overeating. The first few days, to a week, have felt like coming to grips with a loss, a type of grieving of sorts, trying to come to terms with the life we once knew we had, that can’t be lived anymore. David Kessler, world’s foremost expert on grief
working for a decade in a three-hospital system in LA, describes it to the Harvard Business Review, as a ‘collective anticipatory grieving’, something we have spent a few weeks coming to terms with. A global grieving of the life we once built up and had. Knowing it will never be the same. We have also seen interesting trends arise in the online space, where people from all walks of life have awoken to new hobbies, talents, and skills we didn’t know they possessed. It has been overwhelming, to say the least, we are collectively experiencing loss together, and processing it all in different ways. We have seen how when anything that isn’t man-made is left alone, it has remarkable abilities to heal. The earth is healing as our bodies fight this disease and build immunity, the smog is clearing up, the flowers and trees are
swaying and dancing, as the earth lets out a sigh of relief. It is mandatory, to wake up and journal about the things you are grateful for every day during this tough season of collective grieving and healing.

Now more than ever is a time to monitor and protect your mental health and ensure you are putting in the work when it comes to self-care of the mind, body, and spirit.  According to the Office for National Statistics, over a 12 month period, in the UK, three-quarters of registered deaths were suicide among men with over 6,507 suicides registered in the UK. Rates among under 25 s have increased in recent years, particularly 10 to 24-year-old females. With this in mind, we are committed to ensuring those who struggle with abuse, PTSD, anxiety, depression, and any other difficulty, are given a safe, fun, healthy outlet to connect with others who are in the same boat. With our online classes for men, women, youth, and children every day, weekly, everyone is given the opportunity to train with our instructors, battle loneliness, keep up their fitness goals, ensure Serotonin (the happy hormone) is circulating around the body, whilst checking in with friends, all from the comfort of your living room. During this particularly difficult time, there are still those amongst us, waking up early, staying late, clocking in shifts in the hospitals, around the clock, putting their lives at risk every day to fight the Covid 19 pandemic.

Our Heroes, in the NHS have always been on the front lines nurturing, healing, and building our nation back up. Nadiya Sultana, 26, a registered junior Doctor working in the emergency department at Wexham Park hospital, Slough said,
“the ups feel like you’ve conquered the highest peak; exhausted and breathless but with the clearest view whereas the downs are equally deep and obscure. With the pandemic the waits become longer, the staff shortage worrying, decision making cumbersome, who do we send home? Who do we admit? Who Is for full escalation? Who do we think won’t survive this? I couldn’t have foreseen the magnitude of this when it started. The helplessness caused severe anxiety”.

Heba Mimouni, 25 a Midwife at Northwick Park Hospital told us,
“Some days I cope well, and I feel ok, other days I feel stressed and anxious as the number of cases increase. It has been a wake-up call to humanity, it has brought people together Maternity care has seen changes; women are now only allowed 1 birthing partner, now that Covid 19 cases have increased, women are unable to have
anyone with them during birth, often women feel scared, anxious, and ambivalent about their pregnancies. This puts on more pressure as we have to fill the void of their loved ones, as they transition into motherhood. We don’t even know if pregnant women are more at risk from this disease, we do know that for a percentage of women, pregnancy can alter how your body handles severe viral infections. Despite the shortage of staff, we will continue to make women feel and know their inner strength, and provide the levels of care and support to each and every one of them.
There has also been new guidance on personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect us and the patients, this puts me at ease. So I know I am protecting myself and my family with these precautions.”

With all this, we felt it was time for us to give back, Safari MMA is offering 50% off on all online classes for NHS workers to gain a little bit of normalcy back to their day, and maintain strong immunity and mental wellbeing. Fatima Omrani, 25, a registered pharmacist at Guys and St Thomas in London said,

“Working in the NHS can be intense and tiring, but I always try to fit in some me-time. Especially now, with the pandemic, morale is low, and stress is high with the work load, exercise has always been essential as it keeps my mind clear and body feeling good. Even if it is one HIIT class before a nightshift, these days with the madness, I can take the time out to have a moment to improve my mental and physical health. I always share great online classes I find with my colleagues to boost morale and to do something fun together, to burn off snacks and stress”.

Heba Mimouni mentioned, “Due to the nature of my work, I have always tried to fit in fitness, I would go on weekly 5-6k runs, and make sure I keep up at the gym. Now more than ever exercising has been keeping me sane.” Nadiya Sultana too echoed, “The helplessness made me block off the news, I used this time for rehabilitation I used to go on 5k runs every week to help me escape from stress and discover new potentials within myself, now I use online classes, I turned to Yoga for grounding, in times of uncertainty a constant, to ground you so you are not blown away with uncertainty, is so important. The constant need to be productive, paired with an indefinite amount of time really works against us. Online classes are survival for us”.

From all of us at Safari to everyone at the NHS: we applaud, deeply respect, and thank you for using your hands, and risking your lives, to heal us.

 

We also offer 20% off for our in person classes across London, Milton Keynes and Birmingham.

Things on lock down?  Don’t worry, we got your workout sorted!

Mega offer
Train from home for as little as £1.25 a session!

With everything moving into lock

down, we know how much the benefit of exercise brings, both mentally and physically, so we will not let you down!  This Monday we launch our Safari Women’s Online Home Workouts, where you’ll be guided through live videos, being able to interact live to ask questions.

  • Fat burning
  • Technical training
  • Strengthening & Toning
  • With a huge hit of endorphins!
  • Training up to 5 times a week

A fantastic way to develop mental and physical strength whilst everything else closes down, ready to come out the other side feeling positive and productive.

Where: Online from the comfort of your home
When: Every day except Saturday
Price: £25 for the full 4 weeks (works out at just £1.25 a session!)
How to book: Book online https://www.safarikickboxing.co.uk/join-us/
Or text/WhatsApp to book: 07880 550011

Introducing…..
SAFARI FIGHTERS EXTREME – Know your limits and then BREAK THEM!
Khadijah Safari is back teaching with this limitless session:
4 hours of non-stop adrenaline pumping, hardcore training, including:
– knock out fight techniques
– extreme conditioning
– fighter style cardio
– round after round of sparring & fights
– core strengthening
– flexibility & much more

Limited places, license holders only, late entries will be turned away as once we start there is no stopping…. Can you handle it?

Sunday 7th July 11am – 3pm @ Safari Fulham, SW6
MUST PRE-BOOK – £20 for the session. Text 07880 550011 to reserve your space.

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