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Bloom Self-Defence & Fitness with Hady
Never tried self-defence? This session was made for you.
You don’t need to be athletic or experienced. You need to show up as you are. Join Bloom for a welcoming, beginner-friendly evening where you’ll build confidence, learn practical personal-safety skills, and move your body at your own pace. It’s free, and you’re welcome to come on your own.
What you’ll experience
Led by champion kickboxer and coach Hady Ghoneim, this session is a gentle, low-pressure introduction to self-defence. Together, you’ll explore:
- Awareness: noticing your surroundings and trusting your instincts
- Confident body language: how the way you stand and move can help you feel more secure
- Boundaries and personal space: keeping space around you and responding when you feel uncomfortable
- Safely creating distance: simple, practical ways to move away from a situation
- Beginner martial-arts movements: easy-to-learn techniques, with optional supervised pad work
The session is mostly non-contact between participants. Every activity can be adapted, and you can modify movements, take a break, observe, or skip anything at any time. You decide your level of participation.
Schedule
📅 Tuesday, October 13, 2026
🕔 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM
📍 7 Ricketts Road, St. John’s, NL
What you’ll gain
You’ll leave feeling more confident and better informed, and you’ll have a few simple personal-safety tools you can use. You’ll also have tried something new in a supportive space and met people from your community along the way.
Who it’s for
This session is for anyone curious about self-defence and personal safety, especially if you’ve never tried it before. You don’t need:
- any martial-arts or self-defence experience
- a specific fitness level
- to know anyone else attending
- to take part in every activity
- to be comfortable with physical contact
Children are welcome to take part alongside, or under the supervision of, a parent or guardian.
Meet your facilitator
Hady Ghoneim is a competitive kickboxer, martial-arts coach, and personal trainer based in Newfoundland and Labrador. A member of Team Canada, Hady was the 2025 WAKO National Champion and the 2025 Century Cup North American Champion. He has represented NL internationally, including at the 2025 WAKO World Championships in Abu Dhabi, and served as a provincial team coach in 2026. He coaches children and adults of all ages and experience levels, and he’s known for making beginners feel at ease.
What to know and bring
- Wear comfortable clothing you can move in easily
- Wear appropriate footwear
- No equipment needed
What Is BLOOM?
BLOOM is Amal Unite & Empower’s free wellness program, offering nature activities, art, peer support, and social drop-ins that help people connect, recharge, and feel at home in our community. BLOOM brings together people from different backgrounds to learn, enjoy themselves, and build friendships that continue beyond a single event. BLOOM is open to newcomers and the broader community. Brought to you by Amal Unite & Empower, with generous support from IRCC, the North Pine Foundation, and JIG (Department of Jobs, Immigration & Growth)
🔔 Important: One-Time Participant Form (Required)
To help us continue offering free wellness activities to the community, we ask all participants to complete a short one-time information form.
This is a requirement from our funders and helps us keep Bloom running at no cost to you. The information is confidential and used only for reporting and planning.
👉 Please fill out the form before attending an activity:
https://qx0bg.share.hsforms.com/2QkdtyUk1Rnq6VA5_MEBIZg
If the form isn’t completed in advance, you may not be able to participate—so thank you for taking a moment to support this important step.
Participant Expectations and Code of Conduct:
To help create a safe and welcoming space for everyone, we ask all participants to:
- Be respectful of others’ boundaries and comfort levels
- Ask for consent before taking photos or recordings
- Avoid personal or intrusive questions
- Respect privacy and shared experiences
- Follow guidance from facilitators and staff
We are committed to maintaining an inclusive and supportive environment. Bloom reserves the right to remove participants from a session if these guidelines are not followed.
By registering, participants agree to these guidelines.
Scent-Free Policy:
Some participants have strong allergies to perfumes, colognes, and other scented products. To ensure a safe and comfortable environment for everyone, we kindly request that all participants avoid wearing strong perfumes, colognes, or heavily scented lotions to class. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
📸 Photography & Video Notice:
Photos or videos may be taken during Bloom events to help promote our programming. By attending, you consent to this use. If you’d prefer not to be photographed, please let a staff member know when you arrive.