Paralympian Jack inspects new mats at judo club

Sturton Judo Club has welcomed Paralympian and European Silver Medallist Jack Hodgson to see its new safety mats and coach members.

The club, which is an established member of the British Judo Council, is part of Jack’s journey in the sport. He started out aged seven and made his Paralympic debut at Rio 2016 at just 19 years old.

Sue Dooley, of Sturton Judo Club committee said: “Sturton Judo Club was part of Jack Hodgson’s judo journey growing up. He lived in Gainsborough and trained at SJC and still finds time in his busy schedule to return to his roots and pass on his wealth of knowledge and expertise. Without the new mats, the students would not have been able to continue training and the existence of the club would have been in serious jeopardy.”

The safety mats cost around £20,000 and were bought through community fundraising and external support to replace those that had become worn, were taped together and no longer suitable for safe training. 

Alongside the new mats, Sturton Judo Club is also celebrating three of its junior players, Henry, Bella and Lily, making it to the final shortlist of Junior Player of the Year at the British Judo Council Annual Awards in March.

Head Coach at Sturton Judo Club, Matthew Williamson, said: “We are very grateful to West Lindsey District Council for its support. The new mats will allow us to expand our training capacity, run additional sessions and host more competitions and events.”

He added: “This not only benefits our current members by improving training quality and safety but also allows us to open our doors to more people in the local community who want to get involved in judo, fitness and positive social activity.

“Everyone involved at the club wants to give a special thanks to Cllr Lynda Mullally, who has provided us with unwavering support and encouragement throughout.”

The club runs from the village hall and offers classes to members from as young as four years-old to junior and senior members. They raised more than £4,000 through community efforts and received additional funding from several partner organisations including the council. 

Cllr Lynda Mullally of Stow ward said: “We are proud to support projects like this that make a real difference to people’s health and wellbeing. 

“Safe, accessible spaces for physical activity are vital for our communities, and the club’s dedication in securing this funding shows just how important this facility is to local families. These new mats will help more people stay active, build confidence, and enjoy the positive benefits of sport.”

Picture shows Jack Hodgson (in blue) and Cllr Lynda Mullaly with members of Sturton Judo Club.