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Our Strategy to return

So if you’ve been following our progress you’ll know that 2021 is set up to be a made or break year, but that doesn’t mean we’re sitting back waiting to see what happens.  Absolutely not, we have developed a fantastic strategy plan, which with some support will get us through the coming months.

The problem we face is that when tiered systems return and social distancing is in place, we are faced with higher costs and less income as we can only cater for less than half of our members.  To be able to keep social distancing in place in a COVID-19 secure manner we have to keep 15 minutes aside either side of classes which means that we have longer hire costs.  We are not able to offer pad work so our equipment sales have dramatically dropped and there is no grading allowed, not to mention that when our team start taking on more hours the Furlough support is reduced, and by the end of March it could be gone altogether!

The way forward

The way forward for us to survive during social distanced tiered systems is to be able to increase our number of classes to be able to let more numbers in.  This does come at a cost not just from the overall logistical costs, but also through the management and facilitating of the classes, quite often people don’t really how many office hours go in to the set up and running of classes.

So in response to the need to be able to able to offer more classes, and focus on other areas online to bring in more revenue we will in fact be increasing the size of our team with the support of the government Kickstart Scheme, to bring in 6 new positions to allow us to focus on our online work and presence, manage more locations, and potentially look at premises that will mean that we don’t need to worry about the cost of running more classes because we will have a flat rate fee to pay regardless of class numbers or sizes.  For many it may sound ironic that we are trying to grow the team during a crisis, but it is in fact the only way to survive, as by cutting the team size would result in the need to close classes, a move that would mean we’d lose our members.   And now is not a time to be removing sporting activity from peoples lives.

Your support matters

If you have not already see our Go Fund Me campaign, then now is your chance to support, and if you’re not able to help financially it doesn’t cost a penny just to share and raise awareness.

https://gofund.me/0be8a70a

We promise to give back more than we’ve ever received in help, and are feeling extremely optimistic about the future.  We are fighters and will fight until the end to keep serving our community.

 

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Safari MMA faces collapse if current climate doesn’t change

There is a chance for you to help by visiting our GoFundMe Campaign and sharing it with friends and family

GoFundMe – View Campaign to help

100% Donation Policy

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.

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