The initiative, which is being offered by RTW Together – the Business Improvement District [BID] group – to anybody that works for a business in the BID area.
BID say the martial arts classes are aimed to help people feel safer walking home in the wake of recent events, such as the Sarah Everard tragedy, in which the 33-year-old marketing executive who was abducted in London, raped and then murdered by Met police officer Wayne Couzens earlier this year.
BID Director for RTW Together, Sarah-Jane Adams, said: “With the darker nights and mornings, many of us are thinking about getting to work or home safely, and after recent high-profile events, personal security is a very current and real consideration.
“We felt it was important to offer a free self-defence class and personal alarm to the workers who are employed within our town centre, to give more people confidence as they come and go from work.
“We’re lucky that Tunbridge Wells is a relatively safe town, and ideally, we’re hoping to provide the women and men who come along with skills that they will never have to use!”
The free one-hour lessons teach everything from what to do when you are being grabbed from behind, being grabbed by the wrist, escaping a chokehold, knife defence, mugging, being followed, and bag defence.
The class, which is being given by Heather Jordan of local martial arts group Surge Self Defence, also covers topics such as the law regarding defending yourself.
Participants also receive a free personal alarm a worksheet of moves, and a code to access a safety app.
Classes begin today [Wednesday, October 27], for 20 people per class, in the Pop In Pop Up unit of Royal Victoria Place shopping centre at 9.30am-10.30am / 10.45am-11.45am / 12pm-1pm / 1pm-2pm / 3pm-4pm.
Further classes are also being arranged for Friday, November 12.
To book a space, town centre staff should visit: rtwtogether.com/bidschool
