Free taekwondo classes aim to empower women

Taekwondo instructor Sarah Wilson said it was important to help give women and girls more confidence

A taekwondo instructor who is leading free self-defence classes for women and girls has said the sessions are "really important" for making participants "feel more empowered".

Sarah Wilson, from Kidderminster, led the first of five classes in Stourport on Wednesday afternoon.

Ms Wilson said her classes allowed her participants to "take some steps to protect themselves".

"Whether that's prompting them to be a little more proactive when they head out or having a few simple techniques they could use to defend themselves," she said.

Liz Warner, a detective for West Mercia Police, said violence against women and girls was "absolutely a big problem" and described the self defence classes as "really important".

Ms Warner, who is chair the force's Women of West Mercia staff network, said: "Last year, my national police colleagues published a statement to say violence against women and girls was at an epidemic level, it's a threat to public safety.

"And it's not just in our streets, it's in our homes too."

Ms Wilson added: "I think it's really important to give women and girls a little bit more confidence when they're heading out and about and just to make them feel more empowered."

The classes are aimed at women and girls aged 16 and over throughout November and December.

The remaining sessions at Areley Kings Village Hall will run between 14:45 and 16:15 GMT on 3 December and 17 December.

At St Michael's Church Parish Room, the sessions will run on 26 November and 10 December from 17:45 until 19:15.

Each session will accommodate 20 participants, with 100 women and girls expected to benefit from the programme.

Registration is free, and places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.