Northern Powerhouse Boxing Academy's new workshops to focus on women's health and wellbeing

The Covid pandemic created exceptional pressure on the NHS, which is still ongoing and even now, how we meet our everyday health care needs seems to have changed for good.

With so much extra pressure being put on the NHS, we’ve seen people trying their best to stay away from NHS services to stop adding to that pressure. Sadly this has meant that some people have not sought out medical care when they have really needed it. For others it has meant individuals looking into taking more responsibility for their own health.

NPBA only opened in mid-2018; it feels like we have existed in the pandemic as much as we haven’t, yet so much has changed for the club over the course of the last two years.

Our priority has always been to provide women and girls with opportunities to become involved in sport for the good of their physical and mental wellbeing. However, we’ve had to become really flexible and cater to changing needs in order to keep our doors open throughout a time when generating income has been really hard.

Through understanding what our members and also the local community need, we’ve come up with lots of new initiatives which we hope will help keep people healthier, both mentally and physically as well as help us keep our doors open.

During the spring months, in addition to our regular boxing and fitness sessions, we are also launching a series of Wellbeing Workshops aimed to support women to stay active by addressing common issues that may reduce participation or stop women from exercising.

Part funded by Sport England’s ‘This Girl Can’ campaign, the workshops aim to help our community become informed, get purposeful and find solutions in a supportive environment, focusing on health related matters that are important to our members.

Starting on March 6, the first workshop will look at pelvic health and the critical role it can play in the immediate and long-term health, fitness and happiness of women of all ages with specialist pelvic floor physiotherapist Katy Winters supported by Carla Daly Yoga.

On April 10, the Self Protection and Awareness Workshop aims to empower women by reducing everyday risks, build confidence to handle situations that escalate and teach some ‘easy to deliver’ tactics when fighting back is necessary.⁣

This workshop is also funded by the Mayor of West Yorkshire’s Safer Communities Fund, which helps voluntary, community groups, charities and partners keep their communities safe and feeling safe. ⁣Our final workshop on May 8 looks at the the menopause and sport, to try and help women navigate through a time when participation in sport might change but also look at the importance that exercise can play on a woman’s physical and mental health.

Find out more and book your place online at www.northernpowerhouseboxing.org.uk or call 07989 538044 for more information.

The workshops will take place at Hebden Bridge Waterfront Room and cost from £8 to £20.