Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Fighting back: Woman launches self-defence classes

Fighting back: Woman launches self-defence classes

An east London woman has launched an initiative to help make women and girls feel safe on the streets of London no matter what time of day.

April Mehmet, from Chadwell Heath, founded Walk It Out – a project with the aim of improving the physical and mental wellbeing of women through walking together and sharing their experiences.


It comes as more than 80 women have been reported killed this year, with Sabina Nessa, Sarah Everard and Caroline Crouch among those who were abducted and murdered.

Mehmet told Eastern Eye: “If I do get approached on the streets, I might be able to duck and dive that person.

“I want to teach women out there that even if they're not feeling confident, or they're worried, to just be more assertive, just to pretend to be strong, so you're not victims.

“Female only boxing classes is really good not only for their [women’s] mental health but to make them feel more in control and even stronger.

“I've always loved boxing since I was a little girl, and boxing helps me, and I know that it'll be beneficial for women.”

Mehmet explained how boxing helped her mindset “being focused, (with) self-discipline and self-belief, pushing myself and pushing my own boundaries.

“For example, things that I didn’t think I could do. For me personally, that physical exercise has helped me in my own self.”

She added: “It was more of a mental help for me. I come out of boxing and I feel really empowered. I feel like I  can take on the world. That's how it makes me feel.”

Mehmet said she has also already seen improvements and benefits with the women who are attending the classes.

"I want to bring females together in multicultural community from different backgrounds to not only share experiences but can also help to tackle crime.

"I want to be able to support and guide females from different religious backgrounds to remind them of their rights in this country and that they do have a voice," she said.

Roheema Khanom, 48 from Newham, east London, told Eastern Eye: “I decided to join these boxing classes so that it would help my mental and physical well-being.

“I think in any Asian community, we should be open about what is going on.”

Khanom, who is of Bangladeshi heritage, said there should be more such classes available for females in the community.

“I feel more self-aware. I have learnt how to be more confident when I am out alone or with friends during the night time,” she said.

The self-defence boxing class is run by boxing coach Mark Jean-Pierre, who is supportive of the idea.

Mehmet said: “I think it’s nice that a man in the area is supporting me and supporting these women.”

Sessions will run 4pm to 5.30pm and cost £10 per head.

“I don't get the money for that, my services are free, but obviously the gym does,” Mehmet said.

For details, see https://en-gb.facebook.com/groups/559421785028375/

*Walk It Out daytime walks take place, including in Seven Kings on Mondays at 11am and in South Park and Wanstead every Sunday at 11am.

More For You

Canada invites Modi to G7 summit

India's prime minister Narendra Modi. (Photo by MONEY SHARMA/AFP via Getty Images)

Canada invites Modi to G7 summit

CANADIAN prime minister Mark Carney invited his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to the upcoming Group of Seven summit in a phone call on Friday (6), as the two sides look to mend ties after relations soured in the past two years.

The leaders agreed to remain in contact and looked forward to meeting at the G7 summit later this month, a readout from Carney's office said.

Keep ReadingShow less
David Lammy arrives in India for trade and security talks

Foreign secretary David Lammy. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

David Lammy arrives in India for trade and security talks

FOREIGN SECRETARY David Lammy arrived in Delhi on Saturday (7) for a two-day visit aimed at strengthening economic and security ties with India, following the landmark free trade agreement finalised last month.

During his visit, Lammy will hold wide-ranging talks with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar and is scheduled to meet prime minister Narendra Modi, as well as commerce minister Piyush Goyal.

Keep ReadingShow less
Seema Misra
Seema Misra was wrongly imprisoned in 2010 after being accused of stealing £75,000 from her Post Office branch in Surrey, where she was the subpostmistress. (Photo credit: Getty Images)

Seema Misra says son fears she could be jailed again

SEEMA MISRA, a former sub-postmistress from Surrey who was wrongly jailed in the Post Office scandal, told MPs that her teenage son fears she could be sent to prison again.

Misra served five months in jail in 2010 after being wrongly convicted of theft. She said she was pregnant at the time, and the only reason she did not take her own life was because of her unborn child, The Times reported.

Keep ReadingShow less
bradford-murder

Habibur Masum pleaded guilty at Bradford Crown Court to manslaughter and possession of a bladed article. (Photo: West Yorkshire Police)

West Yorkshire Police

Bradford stabbing: Husband pleads guilty to manslaughter, denies murder

A MAN has admitted killing his wife as she pushed their baby in a pram through Bradford city centre, but has denied her murder.

Habibur Masum, 26, pleaded guilty at Bradford Crown Court to manslaughter and possession of a bladed article. He denied the charge of murder. The victim, 27-year-old Kulsuma Akter, was stabbed multiple times on 6 April last year. The baby was unharmed.

Keep ReadingShow less
Birmingham bin strike to continue as rubbish mounts

Bags of rubbish and bins overflow on the pavement in the Selly Oak area on June 02, 2025 in Birmingham, England.(Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

Birmingham bin strike to continue as rubbish mounts

MEMBERS of the Unite union voted by 97 per cent on a 75 per cent turn out in favour of continuing the industrial action in Birmingham, which began intermittently in January before becoming an all-out stoppage in March.

At the centre of the dispute is a pay row between the cash-strapped city council and workers belonging to Unite which says some staff employed by the council stand to lose £8,000 per year under a planned restructuring of the refuse service.

Keep ReadingShow less