Our Services
Comprehensive support for every woman — from our women-only gym to food banks, training to cultural celebrations.
Everything We Offer
From the 2024 Annual Report, 2023 FIT Project and 2022 Annual Report — all services delivered by Smart Women CIC and Smart Citizens Charitable Foundation.
Women-Only Gym & Sauna
Our fully equipped women-only gym offers a safe, private and culturally sensitive environment for women of all fitness levels. The gym features cardio machines, strength equipment, steam room and sauna — open exclusively to women.
Through the FIT Smart Women Project (2023), we provided gym passes for 50 women from BAME backgrounds experiencing unemployment, domestic violence, bereavement, depression and low self-esteem. Women reported outstanding results after just months of attendance.
- 163 active gym memberships in 2024
- 3,912 total gym visits recorded
- One-to-one coaching sessions (10 women, 1 session/week for 3 months)
- Zero coaching session cancellations
- Yoga, Zumba, Aerobics, Swimming classes
- 90% decrease in social isolation reported by members
- 68% increase in self-confidence from coaching participants
- 62% increase in self-worth reported
Workshops & Training
We conduct practical skills sessions designed to build confidence, enhance employability and foster personal growth. In 2024 we conducted 6 training sessions with 60 participants. Sessions are delivered by professional experts in their fields.
Based on our 2022 consultation with 800+ women, we identified demand for ESOL classes, IT workshops and digital training as top priorities. These remain core to our programme delivery.
- Emergency First Aid training (25 participants)
- English Language / ESOL classes (60 participants)
- Online Safety workshops (23 participants)
- Youth workshops and activities (25 participants)
- Risk Assessment training (35 participants)
- IT workshops and digital literacy training
- Beauty training and vocational skills
- Health & Safety and Safeguarding training
Community Events & Outdoor Trips
We organised 6 major community events in 2024 with 618 total attendees, and provided 216 community members with enriching day trips to the UK seaside — fostering social connections and mental wellbeing.
Events celebrate our diverse community heritage while also raising awareness of important issues. Our outdoor trips to Skegness, Blackpool, Brighton and Clacton-on-Sea provide women who rarely leave Birmingham with life-enriching experiences.
- Pakistan Independence Day — 305 attendees (largest event)
- Eid al-Fitr Celebration — women-only space, traditional cuisine
- International Women's Day — education sessions and empowerment
- Mawlid al-Nabi — spiritual recitations and community engagement
- Mehndi Ceremony — traditional henna, music and community support
- Family Fun Day — interactive stalls and children's activities
- Day trips: Skegness, Blackpool, Brighton, Clacton-on-Sea
- Coffee mornings for social support (weekly)
IAG & Special Support
Our Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) service provides comprehensive support to women facing complex challenges. In 2024 we supported 79 individuals with a range of critical needs, using a culturally sensitive approach that helps people navigate challenges and access vital resources.
All IAG services are fully confidential. Our multilingual team can support in English, Urdu, Punjabi, Mirpuri and Pashto.
- Housing and legal support
- Domestic abuse assistance and safety planning
- Employment and benefits guidance
- Caregiver and disability support
- Conflict resolution and documentation help
- Mental health referrals and wellbeing signposting
- Immigration and citizenship support
- Financial advice and debt guidance
Food Bank, Baby Boxes & Warm Meals
We provide essential food and family support to households in need across Sparkbrook and Sparkhill. Our food bank distributes boxes of essential groceries, and our baby box programme supports new parents with essential items for their newborns.
Through our Warm Welcome Spaces programme, we serve hot nutritious meals to community members — providing not just food but warmth, companionship and social connection during difficult times.
- 670 food boxes distributed to families in need
- 510 baby boxes provided to support new parents
- 1,000+ warm nutritious meals served
- Household Support Fund distribution
- Winter Food Aid Fund — seasonal support
- SIM cards and digital connectivity via Vodafone programme
- Warm Welcome Spaces as community hubs (Mon–Fri)
- Emergency food parcels for crisis situations
Health Awareness & Breast Cancer Programme
In partnership with the Pink Ribbon Foundation, we organised a comprehensive Breast Cancer Awareness Programme to educate women on early detection, prevention and emotional wellbeing. The programme successfully reached 86 women.
We also deliver monthly Healthy Lifestyle Sessions — based on research that found 53% of women in our focus group identified healthy lifestyle sessions as their top priority. Sessions are hosted by professionals in their fields.
- Awareness sessions by medical experts
- Self-examination guidance and demonstration
- Survivor-led counselling sessions
- Informational materials distributed on risk factors and symptoms
- Monthly healthy lifestyle sessions (12 per year)
- Nutrition and healthy cooking workshops
- Mental health wellbeing sessions
- Pakistani Health Campaigns — culturally tailored health information
Outdoor Trips & Recreational Respites
Organised day trips provide community members with enriching experiences outside Birmingham — fostering social connections, reducing isolation, and supporting mental wellbeing through new environments and shared experiences.
In 2024 we provided 216 community members with trips to four UK seaside destinations. For many participants, these trips represent rare opportunities to travel and experience the wider UK beyond their immediate neighbourhood.
- Trip 1 — Skegness: ~54 participants
- Trip 2 — Blackpool: ~54 participants
- Trip 3 — Brighton: ~54 participants
- Trip 4 — Clacton-on-Sea: ~54 participants
- Fully organised and chaperoned trips
- Accessible for women with limited mobility or caring responsibilities
- Children welcome on family trips
Street Games & Children's Activities
Through our Street Games Initiative, we provide children and young people in Sparkbrook and Sparkhill with access to sports, outdoor activities and youth development programmes. This addresses the significant lack of structured youth activity in our area.
Our Wellbeing Project for under-24s and seasonal holiday clubs (Easter, Summer, Winter) ensure young people in our community have safe, structured activities year-round.
- Street Games Easter, Summer and Winter clubs
- Wellbeing project for under-24 young women
- Children's holiday activities and camps
- Youth sports and outdoor games
- Children's creative workshops and arts activities
- Family Fun Day interactive children's stalls
- Safe indoor play spaces
Ready to Get Involved?
Whether you want to join the gym, attend a workshop, access support or volunteer — we're here for you.
Contact Us Today →