The programme will provide weekly talks for young men and women. Led by expert instructors, the sessions are designed to build self-discipline, self-defence skills, confidence, coordination, and mental resilience in a safe and supportive environment.
The project is an extension of UFC’s partnership with OnSide, which launched in 2021 with the mission of creating a positive environment for youth through martial-arts and mentoring focussed programmes in South London (Croydon), the Midlands (Wolverhampton) and the Northwest (Wigan), and now Wirral.
Pimblett, who will serve as an ambassador for the programme, is widely recognised for his mental health advocacy and charity efforts. In 2022, he launched The Baddy Foundation to tackle food insecurity and challenge stigma around men’s mental health, beginning with local initiatives in Liverpool before expanding nationally. That same year, he donated £25,000 to James’ Place, a suicide prevention charity in Liverpool. His emotional post-fight address in July 2022, urging men to talk about their struggles rather than suffer in silence, led to a 20% rise in referrals to James’ Place.