The Jiu Jitsu Foundation (TJJF)

The Jiu Jitsu Foundation was formed in 1990 to coordinate the activities of:

• The Jitsu Association, promoting the art, coordinating the activities, and servicing the requirements of Jitsu Clubs

•  Studio III, providing training courses, and promoting the ideals, philosophies and benefits of non-aversive behaviour management

•  Research and Development, exploring the boundaries of Jitsu, and providing a fusion of skills drawn from Jitsu training and academic research.

The Jiu Jitsu Foundation was driven by its Directing Tertiary Peter Farrar, and much of its success can be attributed to his charismatic leadership and the hard work of the Tertiary Board. Peter Farrar died in 1997, but the Foundation continued to grow under the direction of Directing Tertiary Dave Walker, the current head of the tertiary board is Steve Allison and in 2006 there were 100 TJJF clubs in the UK.[citation needed]

Success in the UK has also been matched by the growth of TJJF affiliated organisations throughout the world. The first was the Cyprus Jitsu Association (CJA), started by Andy Wallace in 1989 and then instructed by Jules Robson from 1992-97. The Limassol club was recently reopened by Andreas Stylianou. In 1993, Andy Dobie moved to Canada and opened clubs at Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario and in Ottawa, Ontario. In 1995, Mike Mallen opened his club in Spartanburg, South Carolina, USA. In 2011 Jitsu Australasia (founded in 2002) split into Jitsu New Zealand and Jitsu Oceania. There are 3 clubs in Jitsu New Zealand (Wellington, Napier & Masterton) and the Chief Instructor is Simon Ogden. In Jitsu Oceania there are five clubs: In New Zealand Jules Robson. & Lorne Roberts have a club in Auckland. There are 2 in Sydney – Penrith NSW and Eastern Suburbs, run by Doug Austing and Jason Hime. In 2012 clubs also opened in Brisbane (Fiona Spence) and Melbourne (Tim Trevail). The Chief Instrutor is Jules Robson. TJJF affiliated international associations have also opened in the Netherlands, South Africa, Angola and Brazil. As of 2007 there were 18 non-UK clubs registered with TJF.

In 1997 Matthew Komp visited the UK and conferred the grade of sixth Dan and the title Shihan to Brian Graham. Brian Graham died on 15 June 2005. In an attempt to modernise its image, TJJF changed its logo in 2004 from the depiction of one figure throwing another in black and white against a red and yellow sunshine background reminiscent of the old flag of Japan to a plain red square with the word “Jitsu”. TJJF has had success in establishing its clubs in British universities, with the help of the NUS student unions – about half of all TJJF clubs in the UK are based at a university. In 2005 the Randori and Atemi National competitions gained recognition from BUCS – then British Universities Sports Association. Gareth Horgan, Acting Tertiary Fellow, is the British Ju Jitsu Association Governing Body’s “Universities Ju Jitsu Representative”, highlighting the contribution that TJJF makes to Jiu Jitsu as a whole in the UK.