How a new boxing club is helping protect women

Founders Nadia Finer (left) and Izzy Kelly (right) wanted more women to enjoy boxing

The founders of a new boxing club have said they hope they can teach skills to help make women feel safer.

Queen Bee Boxing, based in St Albans, Hertfordshire, described itself as the only women's boxing club in the city.

Co-founder Izzy Kelly said: "Everyone can come regardless of age. We've had someone who is a grandma say 'can I come with my granddaughter' which is iconic.

"Women want to feel safe, they want to feel powerful, you walk differently when you feel you can handle yourself."

The club has said it is the first female boxing club in St Albans

Ms Kelly has been involved in Muay Thai boxing since she was about 15.

"It's not that we fear being attacked - it's just that we shouldn't be shrinking ourselves down, we shouldn't be focused so much on getting smaller all the time.

"This idea of what being feminine is is almost a bit outdated sometimes, because we can be angry, we can be powerful and I don't think we should squash it down," she said.

The founders wanted to create a space without "sweaty stinky men".

Co-founder Nadia Finer found boxing was a good way "to let off steam".

She described how the sport had changed her life but she struggled to convince her female friends to take part.

"I wanted my friends to experience that but they were too scared to come to a boxing club with sweaty stinky men, big strong guys, they felt it would be too much.

"So we wanted to create a female friendly space where people felt comfortable and not too scared to give it a try."

Sessions take place at Combat Gym on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.