Thirteen has proved a lucky number for Bradford’s Onna Ju-Jitsu Club.

That is how many club members achieved the coveted black-belt status at a recent national gradings held in Liverpool.

The 13 have all been with the club for four years and have demonstrated the commitment and dedication required to get to such a high ranking.

But it isn’t just a matter of reaching a black belt.

Sensei Mumtaz Khan, whose club is fast approaching its tenth anniversary, is also keen for her pupils to develop citizenship qualities so that they can contribute to society in a wider sense.

Onna Ju-Jitsu Club is also well on its way to becoming Yorkshire’s largest martial arts club, delivering sessions to over 500 participants on a weekly basis.

In addition, the club is working towards community cohesion and received two nominations by Brad-ford Council’s Community Harmony Awards.

They are working in partnership with Girlington Community Association in tackling extremism and are hosting a number of training sessions with the aim of bringing opposite sectors of society together through sport.

The club have also launched a series of coaching qualifications accredited by Sports Leaders UK and will be running workshops delivering the Young Leaders’ Award (YLA) for nine to 13-year-olds during the school holidays.

The club will also be registered as an AAC (Approved Assessment Centre) and will soon be offering the Junior Leaders’ Award (JLA), primarily to existing members and then to young people across the district.

Any schools interested in the YLA and/or JLA should contact Sensei Mumtaz Khan on 07877-466818 or visit the club’s website at www.onnjujitsuclub.com.

The club has just held it club gradings at the Khidmat Centre on Spencer Road, with almost 300 students achieving new ranks.

Ju-Jitsu has proven very popular with schools as an alternative to traditional sports clubs, with Crossley Hall Primary School and Bowling Park Primary School leading the way with two weekly clubs as part of their Rise & Shine programme and extended schools programme.

Due to the demand from schools, Onna Ju-Jitsu Club are in the process of developing a further ten coaches to join their existing team of coaches.

Any schools interested in sessions for the new academic year are advised to contact the club as soon as possible.