A CHIPPENHAM father is urging young people to take part in jiu jitsu classes held in the town after the positive effect it’s had on his son.

Steve Scattergood takes eight-year-old Jamie, to the VT Jiu Jistu club which is run by top fighter and coach Leigh Remedios – but only two children attend.

The club has been running since July 2006 at a unit in Cricketts Lane.

Mr Remedios, 41, who took jiu jitsu up at the age of 21 and recently won silver at the 2017 European tournament held in Lisbon, said: “We’re pretty stable in the adult class, when we started we had about 15 and that’s about the same.

“But we’re down to two in the children’s class.

“A lot of the time it’s just Jamie coming down on his own but I’m happy to teach him.

“Jiu Jitsu is absolutely a proven form of self-defence and martial art that’s about technique and leverage over strength.

“We teach effective jiu jitsu through playing games so the skills are transferred, rather than lining them up military-style.”

Mr Scattergood, 47, believes that since taking his son since October last year the club has made a positive difference to his life, but is worried by the lack of other children in the group.

“The club has been great for Jamie in that I’ve already seen an increase in his confidence and self-esteem,” said Mr Scattergood, a programme manager at Siemens.

“For me this is an important skill that will allow Jamie to be better equipped to deal with peer pressure and responsibility and will allow him to cope with challenges and frustrations when they arise.

“Another improvement we’ve seen is Jamie’s ability to retain focus, being able to listen and follow instructions is an important skill that translates from jiu jitsu to school.

“Jiu jitsu is not about brute force, it is about control.

“This means that Jamie is learning the technical aspects of the sport and then practicing it in a safe environment all the while maintaining control.”

Children’s classes are held from 6-7pm on Monday and Wednesday and for information visit the website at www.vtjj.co.uk.