Club: Lucky Seven Jiu Jitsu – England, South
Belt: Black
I began training in jiu jitsu in 2011, at a time when being a woman on the mats meant something very different from today. Female training partners were rare, competition draws were thin, and you’d often face the same handful of opponents at every event. Those early bonds are friendships I still treasure, but women deserved more to build community on. I believe they still do.
I am a BJJ black belt under Cesar Lima and Igor Terreco of Grand Union Jiu Jitsu London, one of a relatively small number of women to hold that rank in the UK. Before earning my black belt, I spent six years competing professionally in MMA, gaining a deep understanding of what it takes to perform at the highest level and the resilience required to do so in a sport where women were still fighting for visibility. I am also a qualified personal trainer and fitness instructor, and today I co-own and head instruct at Lucky Seven Jiu Jitsu in Woking, Surrey, where I have built a women inclusive, family welcoming academy from the ground up.
The growth of women’s jiu jitsu over the past decade has been extraordinary. Women are headlining events, representing Great Britain internationally, and inspiring the next generation in ways I couldn’t have imagined when I started. My vision as UK Women’s Chair is to accelerate that momentum with purpose and structure across three clear priorities.
The first is growing participation at grassroots level, partnering with academies across the UK to lower the barriers that still prevent women and girls from stepping onto the mats. This means visible female role models, targeted beginner programmes, and ensuring women feel genuinely welcome in every affiliated club.
The second is creating a clear pathway from beginner to competitor, developing structured support for women who want to test themselves in competition, including mentorship, coaching resources, and a national calendar that gives female athletes consistent opportunities to compete against a wider pool of opponents.
The third, and most important to me personally, is safeguarding. I have experienced inappropriate treatment and abusive coaching first hand during my MMA career. I know how insidiously these behaviours can escalate and how easily they go unreported when there is no safe, confidential channel to do so. Every woman who trains jiu jitsu deserves an environment free from misconduct, and every club should have the tools, policies, and accountability structures to make that a reality and not just a promise on paper. I would work to ensure that reporting mechanisms are accessible, judgment free, and followed through with proper action.
Jiu jitsu changed my life. It gave me confidence, community, and purpose. I want every woman in the UK to have the chance to experience that, safely, fairly, and with nothing standing in her way.
Qualifications/ relevant professional experience
- . 14 years’ Brazilian jiu jitsu and MMA practice
Social Media
Instagram – @luckysevenbjj