South West
The photographs below are from Midnite’s very own Gemma – we are so blessed to have such an incredible talent as part of our community. Gemma donates her time to record our open mats and share the photos with us because she is an absolute star!
Show her some love on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/her_one_wild_and_precious_life/
Contact Gemma:
her_one_wild_and_precious_life@protonmail.com
DM on instragram or email for work
Prints available
heronewildandpreciouslife.substack.com
My name is Jade Campbell and I am a brown belt BJJ instructor/coach at Midnite Jiu Jitsu in Totnes. I am not a competitor at this stage in my life, but I am more than a hobbyist. I LOVE training, it is literally my life. I am at Midnite 6 days a week, often rolling, sometimes just drilling, (nursing an injury) and other times coaching the tribe.
I started my BJJ journey in Jan 2014 at Fightworx Academy, Torquay. I was a 32-year-old mum of two boys, a little overweight, underconfident and had absolutely no experience in grappling or Martial Arts of any sort. I met Isaac at work and he spent two years relentlessly talking to me about BJJ, about how I should try it, about how my Judo brown belt partner Dan should give it a go, about how amazing it was. Eventually I succumbed and Dan and I turned up one Sunday afternoon. I was so anxious, but I loved it and I never stopped training from that day onwards.
I supported Isaac to open up Midnite Jiu Jitsu in my home town on 17 December 2021 and overnight I was able to triple the volume of training I had been doing because I could just walk to the gym every day. Isaac was a huge support and advocate and encouraged me to teach my first ever class as a purple belt in the new gym on 18 Feb 2022.
We then agreed that I would lead the women’s program at Midnite and on 26 November 2022, I ran my first women’s class. At Midnite we believe in integrating everyone together in training, but recognise that for women, BJJ can feel quite overwhelming and intimidating. We wanted to reduce barriers and access to training for them, and create a space where women could feel comfortable to give BJJ a go.
Not only did we want to create an inclusive space for beginners; we also wanted to create an environment where more experienced women in BJJ can train together.
I am passionate and dedicated to encouraging more women to train BJJ. Rosie, Madison and I all felt the same and knew we needed to support one another in this mission. So, in October 2024, Rosie, Madison and I hosted our inaugural Women’s Open Mat at Midnite Jiu Jitsu and it was a huge success. We then found more women wanting to host an open mat in their gym, so we coordinated a schedule for the year, with the idea to build community, socialise, train as we need to and support the women training together in South West Devon.
After a successful year, we are scheduling another round with the next open mat coming up on Saturday 6 September, 11am until 1pm at Midnite Jiu Jitsu in Totnes.
Follow Jade on Instagram @curious_jadey or Midnite Jiu Jitsu @midnite.jiujitsu for more.
Come along to our next event!
Important things to know:
For any questions, reach out to us on womenonthemats@gmail.com or our instagram @womeonthemats
Roll at your own speed – we encourage you to communicate with your partners and any level of intensity is welcome if you both agree. Injury-conscious, cautious and gentle rolling is encouraged!
If you are interested in us running a women’s open mat at your gym, please get in touch.
Totnes, TQ9 5LE
Saturday 6th September 2025
11-1pm
Exeter, EX2 8QA
Saturday 18th October 2025
2-4pm
NEW Fightworx Gym, Torquay, TQ2 5PW
(Old River Island Building)
Sunday 14th December 2025
2-4pm
We are Jade, Rosie and Madison and we are passionate about making Brazilian Jiu Jitsu accessible for all women. We feel strongly about encouraging people to try out BJJ and we all lead beginner friendly women’s programmes at our own gyms.
We also want to bring together those who already love BJJ – to meet with and roll with other women of all levels, outside of our own gyms and competition settings. We try to make this accessible as possible (time/money/travel) for everyone who attends.
We have been creating a network of local gyms in the South West of the UK who are coming together to get more women training, rolling and connecting together as a community. We have run six free women’s open mats in the last 12 months and have so many more planned!
We have been running for a full year now and in that time visited the following South West gyms for our community women’s open mats:
Each open mat is hosted by a different gym every 6-8 weeks. The idea is to reduce as many barriers as possible to entry for women in BJJ. They are always free entry, there is no sign up required and it’s both Gi and No Gi friendly. We provide free snacks and drinks at every session.
Our open mats are a space for more experienced grapplers as well as people new to the sport. From gentle rolling or drilling after an injury to full competition sparring – the open mat is there for everyone, so that we can all train how we need to!
WOMEN ON THE MATS 