Beaminster boy to compete at MF Martial Arts Championship

Blaize Sharp's dream of representing Great Britain is soon to be realised when he jets off to Australia to take part in the Matt Fiddes Martial Arts Championships with Matt Fiddes United Team GB.

The 10-year-old Salway Ash Primary School student attends Bridport Matt Fiddes Martial Arts, where he is coached by Lucy Fear and set out to complete his goal a year ago.

Once selected to be part of the team, his goal was to raise £2,500 to achieve his dream of competing on the international stage in Australia on Saturday, October 19. 

Blaize is hoping to bring back some medals for Team GB later this month (Image: Dan Sharp) He has competed at many national and regional championships along the way, including the in South West Championships in May, where he won gold and bronze medals.

He is one of only 25 students nationally on Team GB, and will also be the youngest member of the team as he seeks to bring back medals for Great Britain.

His dad Dan said "Blaize really has worked hard and and shown incredible determination to hit his target of raising enough funds to cover all his costs of competing, his mum Sammy Sharp and I, his grandparents and his two brothers Harry and Cruz, are all extremely proud of him and his achievements."

Blaize starting raising money with a walk from Charmouth to West Bay (Image: Dan Sharp) A year after the Bridport News reported on his first fundraising event, where, at the age of 9, he raised £1,550, completing a gruelling sponsored 14.5km hike along the coastal path from Charmouth to West Bay, he has fundraised more than £4,000, enough to cover his travel costs and accommodation. 

Blaize's other fundraising events have seen him work hard to make each one a success learning an array of life skills along the way.

He helped organise and run Gill's monthly family bingo night in Bridport, assisted in the setting up and running of a Christmas market stall at the Bridport late night shopping and Christmas lights turn on, and with the help of his mum, also ran an online Teddy Tombola, selling numbered squares to friends and family and the mums, dad's and kids at school.

Blaize also at his own request and in true team spirit, attended and supported other team members' fundraising events just because he wanted to help and support another team mate.

Blaize has also been sponsored by three local businesses, Shield Sights, Louisa Willcox - Let's Get Wealthy and Jurassic Pork Catering, totalling £450 on top of his £4,000 to cover the cost of the team uniform and kit, meaning that the sponsorship he has raised will also cover the cost of up to four of his team mates kits as well.

Blaize has thanked everyone who has donated or supported his journey to get to this point, with a big thank you to friends, family, and especially his instructor Lucy Fear, for all the extra training, encouragement and belief in getting him to this point.