Futurama Retail Ltd is hoping to plough back into the community this Women’s Month by empowering all women with the necessary skills and self-confidence to face the dangers of society.
The local e-commerce business, which offers tactical and self-defence products, is hosting a self-defence workshop at the premises of Willow Way Fitness located at The Pines Centre in Somerset West on Thursday 29 August. The cost is minimal, at R50 per person, and proceeds will go toward Heartlands Baby Sanctuary.
“Flowers die, chocolates go off, but empowerment lasts forever,” said Michael Kershaw, Futurama air rifle and shooting optic specialist and one of three event organisers.
The fourth annual Women’s Self-Defence Event is one of many outreaches organised and hosted by Futurama Retail Ltd and hopes to engage many women eager to learn about self-defence.
The event which kicks off with a warm-up session, starts at 19:00 and will be facilitated by a Willow Way Fitness instructor. “The warm-up is designed to be inclusive as we tried to focus on body-positivity,” said fellow organiser and marketing champion Mary-Jean Naudé.
Once the warm-up is complete, the self-defence class kicks up a gear with judoka Madré van Dalen (40), who has been practising judo since the age of 8 and has a ton of experience with coaching self-defence. She is also the procurement and stock manager at Futurama Retail Ltd as well as the owner of Lifefit, which teaches women and children self-defence.
The Somerset West resident will be teaching the keen participants basic self-defence techniques, which they can use in their everyday lives. She shared that the idea of imparting these practical tools is to be knowledgeable about one’s own surroundings. “Eighty percent of self-defence is awareness.” Van Dalen pointed out.
While the event is centred around self-defence, Futurama Retail Ltd will be introducing a new spin to this year’s itinerary. “This year we have somebody who is a survivor of an abusive relationship come to talk about life following the trauma,” said Kershaw.
The guest speaker hoped to share not only her story, but to offer guidance to the women about how to navigate leaving an abusive relationship.
To boot, the event will be held in aid of a worthy cause. “When I reached out to Heartland’s Baby Sanctuary I was immediately so touched by the work it does,” added Kershaw, who explained the idea of donating to the temporary residential safe-care facility, which cares for 25 children at any given time directly and connects with the theme of the event, offering protection to the most vulnerable members of society.
. For those interested in attending the self-defence event, visit https://www.quicket.co.za/events/270634-womens-self-defence-evening/#/
. For more information contact Michael Kershaw on 083 661 9395.
