On a Wednesday night in Bury a group of women drop off their children at mosque. They use it for childcare as they make their way to the building next door - one which they had never set foot in before: the Defence Academy. READ MORE: What is so special about Bury Market? The martial arts and boxing club is a space largely dominated by men.
But now, in the wake of increase in domestic violence during the pandemic, and the murder of Sarah Everard, funding has been made available to empower women - and to teach them how to fight back.
Councillor Ummrana Farooq, who represents East Ward, is behind the self-defence classes. It's something she's wanted to make happen for years but it's only now, with the support of the council, that she's been
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