12th Feb 2026
Press Release: GIRLS CLUB TO LAUNCH SELF-DEFENCE CLASSES FOR GLASGOW WOMEN
Social Community, the Glasglow Girls Club (GGC) is launching a new series of female-led self-defence classes for women in Glasgow, aimed at building confidence, strength and community in a safe and supportive environment.
Following a successful pilot session held last year, the first session of the new series will take place on Saturday 21 February, from 9.30am – 11am, at the city’s Kynoch Boxing gym and Meta Tech Academy.
The sessions will run every couple of months and are included in the social and business membership of the Glasglow Girls Club, an online and in-person community with more than 50,000 members.
The classes are designed to help women learn practical self-defence skills, build confidence and feel more empowered in their everyday lives – all alongside other women, without pressure or judgement.
Previous surveys have highlighted personal safety as something women continue to be concerned about. In 2024, research from Walking Scotland showed that nearly 40% of women in Scotland say they’d walk more if they felt safer after dark, compared to 24% of men*. The same survey found that only 55% of all respondents said they felt safe walking alone after dark, dropping sharply among women and those living in less well-connected areas.
And a 2022 survey conducted by Wise Women, in partnership with Glasgow Girls Club (a Glasgow-based non-profit supporting at risk girls and young women aged 13 to 25) along with Commonplace and Glasgow Violence Against Women Partnership, gathered the views of women and girls across the city about how safe they felt in public spaces. The survey found that 34.5% of women asked said they felt either unsafe or very unsafe.**
Founder of Glasglow Girls Club Laura Maginess said: “We wanted to do something practical to help our members feel safer and build their confidence. These sessions are about giving women practical tools, confidence and a sense of strength, in a space where they feel supported and understood.”
Each session will be led by experienced female trainers. Buffy Price, a jiu jitsu athlete and gold medal champion, brings elite competition experience alongside a strong focus on confidence and inner strength. Jennifer Mackenzie, a qualified boxing trainer and fighter, uses boxing as a tool to help women rebuild confidence, resilience and self-belief. Leanne Kelly, a business owner, boxer and long-standing GGC member, brings lived experience of using boxing to regain confidence during challenging periods of life.
The GGC is now one of Scotland’s largest online communities and provides a supportive community for women across Glasgow and beyond, both through its social club and its Glow Club Business Membership. The self-defence sessions reflect the group’s wider mission to create spaces where women feel stronger, more confident and more connected. This mission is shared by the event sponsors Meta Tech, Kynoch Boxing Gym and Leanne Kelly Connect Financial Services.
Event sponsor Leanne Kelly added: “We know self-defence isn’t a solution to everything, but it’s a powerful way for women to reclaim confidence, strength and a sense of control….and doing it together makes a real difference.”
Dates of upcoming member events:
- Saturday 21st February 9.30am – 11am
- Saturday 11th April – 9.30am – 11am
- Saturday 20th June – 9.30am – 11am
- Saturday 22nd August – 9.30am – 11am
- Saturday 3rd October – 9.30am – 11am
These events have been created exclusively for GGC Social and Glow Club Business Members.
For more information on Glasglow Girls Club visit www.glasglowgirlsclub.com
For more information on Kynoch Boxing Gym https://www.kynoch-boxing.com/
For more information on Meta Tech Academy https://www.metatechacademy.co.uk/
Ends
Photo caption – the self-defence pilot session that led to the new programme of classes being launched
Notes To Editors:
To note: Glasglow Girls Club and Glasgow Girls Club are two separate entities, with different missions, but that also work together at times to support women across Glasgow.
*https://walkingscotland.org.uk/safety-fears-stop-women-walking-after-dark/
** https://www.womenssafety.scot/resources/i-feel-trapped
About Glasglow Girls Club
Glasglow Girls Club is a social and business community for women in Glasgow, connecting members through events, networks and shared activities designed to build confidence, connection and support.
About Glasgow Girls Club
Glasgow Girls Club is a Glasgow based non-profit organisation supporting girls and young women aged 16 to 21 through youth work, creative programmes and community development.
In 2022, Glasgow Girls Club designed and led a citywide women’s safety survey in partnership with Wise Women, Commonplace and Glasgow Violence Against Women Partnership. The findings informed the development of a digital women’s safety app for Glasgow, created by Glasgow Girls Club, which remains live as a public resource.
About Wise Women
Wise Women is a Glasgow based charity working to improve women’s personal safety and confidence through training, education and community outreach. The organisation delivers practical programmes and campaigns focused on reducing women’s vulnerability to violence and harassment and was the lead partner in the 2022 women’s safety survey referenced in this release.
