There is a chance for you to help by visiting our GoFundMe Campaign and sharing it with friends and family
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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.
Have you heard about easyfundraising?
Here at Safari MMA we know that for some, times are tough financially right now, however we don’t want this to stop anyone from being able to train, which is why we have set up Safari Sport Support. We care about the lives we are changing and we would like to invite you to help us make a difference too. Before you know it, you will be changing lives by just doing your everyday shopping at some for your favourite retailers! It costs you nothing, but the impact this could have on someone will be life changing.
Its free and simple to join easyfundraising!
Click here and it will take you straight to Safari Sport Support homepage.
Every time you shop online, go to the easyfundraising app or website first, pick the retailer you want and start shopping
After you’ve checked out, that retailer will make a donation to us for no extra cost whatsoever!
These are the easiest ways for you to raise a donation.
Shopping on your mobile? No problem, for mobile phones and tablets there is the handy easyfundraising App, perfect if you like to shop on the go and available completely free of charge from your App store. Now you can not only shop using it but you can check out your own donation total and see how your cause is getting on too. More information can be found here.
Shopping from your computer? Install the Donation Reminder – this means a box will appear if you are shopping with a retailer who participates with easy fundraising and you don’t even need to visit the easyfundraising site! All you need to do is click Activate Donations and any eligible purchase will be recorded for you. Take a look at the Donation Reminder here. It’s supported by Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari but can’t work on mobile phones or tablets.
Visit easyfundraising.org.uk – simply search for the retailer you want to shop with and click onto them using the green ‘Go Shopping’ button. You’ll be taken straight to the retailers website and your experience will be identical as if you had gone there directly but easyfundraising will be able to track your purchase to ensure a donation for your good cause. More information can be found here.
A note about Amazon and eBay
If you’re shopping with Amazon and eBay always make sure your basket is empty before you start shopping and remember to go through the easyfundraising website or app to get to their websites. If you have the Donation Reminder it will be able to tell you when a donation is available at these two great sites.
How to collect donations at Amazon and eBay:
1. Start at easyfundraising Before you add anything to your basket, go to the easyfundraising webite or app and search for Amazon or eBay.
2. Go shopping easyfundraising will take you to their website – everything is exactly the same, even the price!
Safari Sport Support has the powerful ability to help people transform their lives and it takes a moment for us to help do this. From all at Safari MMA thank you, we couldn’t do it without you!
Good news! We have been really busy behind the scenes liaising with all the relevant authorities regarding the reopening all of our locations. We have been informed that as of the 25th of July Gym’s are reopening and it won’t be long until we are finally able to open our doors and welcome you through them too, and in the mean time make sure that you book on to one of our small group park sessions, which are doted across London and Milton Keynes.
We really want to thank you for all your support, patience and understanding over the last few months.
We want you to know that the safety of our students is our biggest priority and so we are putting into place a number of measures to make sure our locations are all providing a safe environment to train in. We will have more information over the due course, we will keep you all updates on Social Media, WhatsApp, our website and emails so keep checking in!
For more information here is the official governments updates.
Here at Safari MMA, we want to use our platform to empower and strengthen others, by providing a space filled with tools for women to build for ourselves. To equip you with knowledge, of self, so that you can better combat problems that arise. We aim to create a space for men and women to learn more, in every area of life, to become skilled in physical activity, mental agility, emotional intelligence, but also in practical tools to better help you on your journey with your career path of choice, and so much more. We are not just an MMA club, we wish for the best versions of our students to surface, as a result of our work.
With this in mind, we are providing Gymnastic *social distancing* class for Women and girls on Sunday 12th July. This will be held in Milton Keynes. The teen girls session will be held at 10 AM, and the Women’s session at 11AM. The classes will be held by Kati Simpson, former elite Gymnast of 18 years, British Championship competitor, Commonwealth, Scottish Team Squad member and currently coaching Elite Gymnasts at an international level. Look out for more amazing classes like this one, designed to boost confidence, increase your serotonin level, and motivate us through this gloomy monotonous no-gym time.
With the feeling of uncertainty in the air, the summer months pass by in full swing, and the lockdown laws have easened a little, we are still looking to other remedies to stay safe, protected, and healthy during this time as the scent of a pandemic is still in the air.
One of our favourite medicines is Black Seed Oil, a largely talked about but slept on remedy when taking on a number of health issues. There are a number of different types, here are a few to learn about:
Ajenuz, Aranuel, Baraka, Black Cumin, Black Caraway, Charnuska, Cheveux de Vénus, Cumin Noir, Fennel Flower, Fitch, Graine de Nigelle, Graine Noire, Kalajaji, Kalajira, Kalonji, La Grainer Noire, Love in a Mist, Mugrela, Nielle, Nigella sativa, Nigelle de Crête, Nigelle Cultivée, Nutmeg Flower, Poivrette, Roman-Coriander, Schwarzkummel, Small Fennel, Toute Épice, Upakuncika.
Black seed is actually planted and was discovered over 2000 years ago in the tomb of King Tut. There is scientific evidence to suggest, Black Seed can be used to reduce high blood pressure, boost the immune system, fight cancer, and lessen allergic reactions. It has been historically used for nasal congestion, toothache, headache, intestinal issues, parasites, and infection. Today it is used to combat a number of health issues such as treating digestive tract conditions, as well as respiratory conditions. Asthma, cough, bronchitis, flu, swine flu, treating cancer and combatting the immune system.
Black seed is also used in combination with cysteine, vitamin E, Saffron, to ease the side effects of a chemotherapy drug called cisplatin this highlights the power it carries in calming quite strong side effects of man made drugs. Others apply it directly to the skin for joint pain, headache, and skin conditions. The best part, they are fully available in local grocery stores too.
Look out for more on Black seed, when we drop cool recipes to make, from masks to meals!
Thai boxing is the national sport and cultural martial art of Thailand. A lot of us, by now, are familiar with the sport, due to its popularity, it has popped up across the social media landscape, over the span of the last decade with mainstream athletes, and fighters training publicly. But the Martial Art we see today, wasn’t always what it appears to be. Muay Thai, was developed over several hundred years ago, the close combat nature of it, utilized the entire body as a weapon in war, hence why it is called the ‘the art of eight limbs’ due to the direct contact between each body part. Several scholars say the true nature of Muay Thai’s history was lost when the Burmese ransacked Ayudhaya, Siam’s capital city in Thailand, during the 14th century.
The way the body is used in Muay Thai, explains the ritualistic nature, you will see trailing into fights that occur in present-day clubs.
To scan the entire body, the hand becomes the ‘sword and dagger’, the shin and forearms are conditioned till they are hard, to act as armour. The elbows to be used on opponents like a heavy hammer if pivoted correctly, the legs and knees, likened to an axe and staff.
The relationship between each body part in combat is so closely interwoven and at one, that the fighter uses each, any, and every part as a way into any opening to defeat the opponent. It is both poetic and deadly.
The great history of Muay Thai dates back to the first army in which employed the combat, the 1238 Sukhothai Era, (the Buddhist years). This is where the first Thai army was formed in order to protect the capital within the city and its surrounding villages, against neighbouring kingdoms and tribes. Soldiers were taught how to use weapons, but also, how to use their bodies as weapons as they used every limb to fight, this was where Muay Thai was born alongside Krabi Krabong. As a result, Muay Thai became heavily interwoven into the fabric of the culture for the early Siamese people, because of being under constant threat of war. The first Muay Thai camps were formed as training centres, where men would train to fight, but also use it as a means to focus, gain discipline, and ongoing exercise. Soon, monks were instructed to teach the combative training, and the wisdom tied to it in Buddhist Temples, so that every generation would be equipped with the power of this knowledge.
This was never an elitist sport, because, anyone could use their body as a weapon if trained correctly. As more of the poor had access to Muay Thai, it then became a requirement for the elite, high class, and royalty to be well trained in the combat, as they believed this would lead to powerful future leaders, with the philosophy that a great who would be able to protect their country if it came to it.
Several generations later, this deeply poetic, philosophy and combative practice, has become a national sport, and form of self-defence for many across the world. In the early days of Thai training in Thailand, fighters didn’t always have boxing bags and resources readily available, therefore they had to get creative, using banana and coconut trees, rivers, streams, and manual labour as skills to get better at the sport.
A well- known training method was kicking and kneeing Banana trees, because of their soft porous nature.
There was something deliciously poetic, and meaningful about the roots of this addictive sport. There is a timelessness to the beauty of not needing anything, or anyone but yourself in combat, equipment, or weapons. Although we don’t endorse violence, we do encourage our students to use their body, as a powerful tool, to sharpen, and discipline the mind. Knowing that when it comes to fight or flight, when you are in the throes of fear, when we have been faced with a global problem that has forced us all indoors, feeling immobile, that all you need is yourself to get you out. We train you, so that you may learn how to use the tools you already have to battle your own wars. Knowledge is power.
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.
Check out our kickboxing classes in Milton Keynes, only three spaces left! 
Looking for 10 men in Milton Keynes who want to relieve stress whilst getting super fit, super fast!
START THIS WEEK!
Learn how to combine speed, power, endurance and skill through the explosive art of Muay Thai Kickboxing.
8 week beginners course.
When: Tuesday 15th September
Time: 8pm
Duration: 8 weeks
Where: Broughton Sports Pavilion, Milton Keynes
Price: Buy 1 get 1 half price (for full 8 weeks)
So £60 for 1 person, or £90 for 2.
Text to book your place 07412 993535
