Red letter day for black belts (From Stroud News and Journal)

Red letter day for black belts

THREE local primary school pupils have become the latest black belt successes for a Stroud martial arts club.

Nine-year-old Foxmoor School pupil Juniper Perrett achieved her first-degree black belt with the newly-renamed Success Martial Arts.

She made the grade along with ten-year-old Jack Rochford, from King's Stanley, and Dursley's Cade Gillingham who was nine on December 6.

The three started training with the former Leigh Childs Black Belt Academy more than two-and-a-half years ago.

Now rebranded Success Martial Arts, the club based at Stratford Park Leisure Centre has just opened a new branch in Stonehouse, at Maidenhill Sports Centre.

Jack, who goes to King's Stanley Junior School, Cade, who attends Cam Everlands Primary, and Juniper joined more than 160 other Success Martial Arts students from across the UK at the organisation's Swindon headquarters for this recent grading.

Two other students from the Stroud branch, Danielle Berry and Rhiannon Smith, achieved their second-degree black belts.

"The students were all graded by eight master instructors," said Stroud chief instructor Richard Herbert. "They have all worked very hard both in training and through home practice to achieve their new grades."

Cade, who first started training when he was five, said: "I like learning the patterns during class. The grading was quite scary."

Jack said: "I felt very nervous on the day. We graded on the Sunday and were told the result on the Monday.

"We also had to go to Swindon for the presentation, which was great. I was thrilled.

"There is now six months to requalification. If you pass that, you get your name on your belt. So you have to keep up the good work!"

Success Martial Arts trains on a Monday and Wednesday from 4pm in Stroud and has just started new classes at Maidenhill on Thursdays.

For further details on the programme - which teaches respect, self-confidence and life skills, as well as mixed martial arts - contact Richard Herbert on 07788 674454, visit successma.com or freephone the organisation on 0800 0191585.