Game Nation has partnered with NexGen Protection to deliver a specialist Women’s Safety Programme, focusing on situational awareness, building confidence, and practical de-escalation skills. Led by tactical defence expert Lee Follen, the programme demonstrated Game Nation’s commitment to create safe and supportive environments and what it means to be a responsible employer.
Game Nation continues to set new industry standards with the completion of a specialist Women’s Safety Programme undertaken in partnership with NexGen Protection. The initiative which was led by NexGen’s tactical defence and close protection expert Lee Follen was designed to address the real-life situations and risks that women can encounter in their everyday lives.
Game Nation HR Director Julie Redfern confirmed: “The safety and wellbeing of the Game Nation team is of utmost importance, and women’s safety is something that we take extremely seriously.”
She noted: “This wasn’t a traditional self-defence course. There were no complicated martial arts moves to remember – instead, the programme was about awareness, confidence and learning simple, practical skills that could make a real difference when it matters most. We learnt about situational awareness and recognising potential warning signs and behaviours, as well as how it’s possible to avoid or de-escalate a situation before it develops.”
Highlighting the key take-outs she added: “The programme gave us the opportunity to learn and practice techniques including escaping grabs and holds, responding to close-range situations and, most importantly, creating the opportunity to disengage and get to safety.
“What really stood out for me was the focus on the psychological side of personal safety. We talked about the impact of stress and adrenaline and the importance of being able to remain composed, think clearly and act decisively. Everyone, regardless of their fitness, strength or previous experience, took something really valuable away from the day.”
Reflecting on the course, NexGen co-founders Aman Goraya and Harj Mann stated: “Our tactical defence instructor Lee Follen, who also serves as NexGen Operations Director, has been delivering this type of training for more than two decades and has worked on the Premier League kicks project, helping to safeguard both participants and staff.”
Outlining the structure of the programme Lee Follen explained: “At the beginning of every course we talk to the participants to get an idea of what they would do in certain situations. By the end of the course, we run every participant through the same scenarios and at that point they all know exactly what to do and the best choices to make.
“The feedback we received from the Game Nation team has been 100 percent positive. Participants confirmed that the information was relevant to everyday scenarios and the concerns that women face. Everyone said they felt better equipped on how to stay safe and importantly also had great fun along the way.”
Game Nation CEO Mark Jepp believes the initiative is another example of what it means to be a responsible employer. “This is exactly what investing in people should look like,” he stated. “We hope our colleagues never find themselves in a situation where they need to use these skills, but providing them with greater awareness, practical tools and confidence is something that is genuinely worthwhile. “Every element of the day delivered by NexGen from the venue, to the content of the instruction was first class and could not have been more professional. The message it sends out to the team is that we take their welfare and their safety extremely seriously and are committed to creating safe and supportive environments in which to enjoy what they do.”
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Originally published on Coinslot on August 31, 2026. Republished with permission.