Our Fifth Anniversary

By Philippa, CEO of Physical Empowerment

It is the end of March 2026, our fifth anniversary was on the 10th March and here is the PE 5th birthday blog. A lot can happen in just one session at PE so to write about a year in 500 words always seems a challenge – where should we start?!

In April 2025, we ran our first courses, for women after domestic abuse, in Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire. Helen, an all-round star PE coach, got off to a strong start in Pembrokeshire after a lot of hard work networking and supporting women to attend.

Our community gym (Y Gampfa Gymunedol) in Carmarthen is at Parc Dewi Sant which is a fantastic site in Carmarthen, full of inspiring organisations. We really feel part of a bigger picture here and want to continue to grow the success of our community space.

As ever, I would like to thank those funders who have repeat funded us over the years and who allow us to continue with our life changing work. The Moondance Foundation, The Waterloo Foundation, The National Lottery (People & Places), The Allen Lane Foundation and UnLtd. Thanks also to every funder who has supported our work since we started in 2021.

As an organisation, we want to improve our sustainability and have been working towards this by starting to generate independent income for the CIC. We have done this in various ways; paid classes run in our gym (family self-defence, adult self-defence, muay Thai), running corporate workshops / training, Easyfundraising, a weekly lottery, sponsored events and anything else we can think of. Ideas on a postcard are very welcome!

We have said goodbye to Jenny Sephton, she retired from her PE director post earlier this year. Jenny and Philippa ran the first five PE courses together and Jenny’s wisdom and experience taught Philippa so much. She will be missed and we wish her all the best in her (actual) retirement!

We now run a regular weekly club in Carmarthen for women who lived through childhood sexual abuse or were raped / sexually assaulted as a child. This has been a powerful experience for all involved and is something that will continue. There is no specific funding for this group but we know it is something that is needed and will continue to run it. “I am starting to feel safe in my body and trust my own instincts.” (quote from weekly club attendee). Quotes like that are worth more than any money.

I am learning that, despite leading from my gut, I must not think from my heart but instead from my business brain (I do have one!) and understand that we cannot do everything, especially without the necessary funding. I have remembered to put my health and wellbeing first and set an example to the women and children we support.

We have purchased a building in Port Talbot which will be our new PE headquarters and forever home. More news on this as things progress – we literally signed the memorandum of sale a few days ago!

We celebrate the women who have completed courses with us over the last year, our team of 24 volunteers, the book that we have written in conjunction with Paul (NPT library) which is soon to be published. Exciting times ahead!

Always remember, YOU are worth protecting.

Philippa Martin, Physical Empowerment CEO, March 2026

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