Women who survive domestic abuse often face years of mental health challenges, including PTSD, depression, and chronic anxiety. Many experience physical disassociation and low self-worth, making it difficult to engage with everyday life or access conventional support services. Safe, empowering, and body-based recovery opportunities are rare, and too many women are left to navigate trauma alone. With demand rising, accessible trauma-informed programmes that combine mental and physical healing are in short supply.
Triumph Over Trauma
Fight Forward provides women-only, trauma-informed boxing and therapy programmes that help survivors rebuild confidence, regulate emotions, and reconnect with their bodies. Their approach blends movement, mental health tools, and peer support to create a powerful pathway to healing.
As well as regular boxing and therapeutic classes the programmes include:
- The FightBack Club – a 10-week, high-energy boxing journey where women train like fighters and step into the ring for the first time, proving to themselves that they are stronger than their past.
- The FightBack Restore Programme – an eight-week course combining boxing and trauma-informed therapy, supporting deep emotional recovery and helping women move forward.
- Community & Storytelling – building a supportive community where shared experiences reduces isolation
With each session, women develop confidence, improve mental wellbeing, and rebuild autonomy. Participants report reduced feelings of isolation, increased resilience, and a renewed sense of possibility. Many describe the programme as life-changing, offering both immediate relief and long-term tools for healing.
Expanding the Box and Restore programme
Funding from the Matthew Good Foundation would allow Fight Forward to expand and continue their Box and Restore programme, ensuring weekly trauma-informed sessions remain accessible to the women who need them most. It will help cover fees including expert coach and therapist fees, venue hire, equipment and travel bursaries to remove financial barriers.
This support will enable Fight Forward to meet increasing demand and ensure no woman is turned away. Outcomes include improved mental health, increased confidence, reduced isolation, a strong network of support, and a meaningful step forward in trauma recovery.
Every session we run gives survivors of domestic abuse a space to be heard, to be understood, and to begin healing, not just for themselves, but for their families, their children, their communities. You are helping us reach more women. You are opening up conversations that have been locked behind closed doors. You are giving hope and power back to women who’ve been made to feel invisible. This shortlisting isn’t just a vote of confidence, it’s a lifeline for so many. And we are so deeply grateful.
Lesley’s leadership at Fight Forward is exceptional. Her background as a GB boxer, combined with her commitment to trauma-informed practice, has created a model of support that is both empowering and deeply compassionate. What stands out is how positive and transformative the programme is – women are rebuilding confidence, autonomy and community through a proven, well-established approach that has clear backing and real-world impact. It’s an inspiring organisation, and we are proud to support a project that helps survivors not only heal, but truly thrive.
Latest Project Updates
December 2025
Granted £5,000
After employees at the John Good Group voted for their favourite causes, Fight Forward won the vote, and received the highest possible grant of £5,000.
December 2025
Grants for Good Finalist
Fight Forward has become one of the top five finalists in the latest Grants for Good round, and will receive a grant between £2000 and £5000 after employees at the John Good Group have voted on their favourite causes.