Help Pippa get to the JRDA World Cup, Brisbane, 2025

Hi! For those that don't know me, I am Pippa and I am 16 years old. I have been skating since the age of 6 and playing roller derby since I was 10. I have been selected to represent Team GB at the Junior Roller Derby Association (JRDA) World Cup being held in Brisbane, Australia in July 2025 and I need your help to get me there.

This photo was taken of me at this year's 'Eastbourne Extreme' by Jorge Dos Santos

A bit more about my skate journey

I started off quad skating, these are the traditional style roller skates, 2 wheels on the front and 2 on the back, at my local skate park. I then transitioned to skating on inline skates (rollerblades) for a while and took up slalom and street skating, skating around London and Portsmouth. During this time I would also regularly attend Disco Skate roller discos where I volunteered as a skate marshall. It was through Disco Skate that I was introduced to the sport of roller derby and our local junior league Southern All-stars. Since working my way up through the 3 levels of competency, I've taken part in various roller derby tournaments including '5 Nations', 'Eastbourne Extreme' and guest played with the New Bourne junior league in the 'Swarming Se7ens' tournament in Copenhagen. I was also selected as a player for Team GB in the 2023 JRDA World Cup that was held in Valence, France. I regularly train with the local adult league, Surrey Roller Girls, and have supported them as their bench coach in various games.

Here I am slalom skating in Hyde Park in 2019

About roller derby

Roller derby is a contact sport played on quad skates. It takes place on an oval track between two competing teams. A game lasts 60 minutes, split into two halves of 30 minutes each, and is a series of 2 minute 'jams'. Each team, typically with a roster of 15, fields 5 skaters during each jam, one 'jammer' with the designated star on their helmet and 4 'blockers'. The jammer scores a point for each opposing blocker that they lap. Blockers simultaneously defend to hinder the opposing jammer whilst also playing “offence” by manoeuvring to aid their own jammer.

Here I am 'jamming' at the 2023 JRDA World Cup

Why I Need Support

I play roller derby at the highest level in the UK and am looking to participate in the 2025 World Cup representing Team GB in Brisbane, Australia. This is a prestigious and highly competitive event that showcases the best junior teams from around the world. I have been a key player for Team GB since 2023, when I participated in the previous World Cup in France and helped the team achieve a respectable fifth place.

The 2023 World Cup in France was fully funded by parents due to being fairly local in proximity. This meant that we could budget travel under our own steam. Unfortunately this isn't possible for Australia. This will be the last year I will be eligible to play for Team GB juniors as I will have aged out by the time of the next one in 2027. I am asking for support for the 2025 World Cup because it is a once in a lifetime opportunity to represent our nation on the other side of the globe. Due to the distance, it is obviously a much greater financial challenge for us to achieve.

The Magnitude of the Effort

Having investigated pricing, we expect the financial commitment to be approx. £7,000 (to cover both myself and my parent chaperone). That would roughly cover flights, accommodation, insurance (both travel insurance and specialist sports insurance), travel on the ground in Brisbane, as well as some of my expenses for Team GB training sessions in the run up, such as monthly subs, accommodation (as training venues can be as far away for us as Newcatle) and travel. There are no payments for coaches or team managers etc, all coaches are volunteers and are funding their own expenses.

Why am I fundraising now?

We aim to self-fund as much as possible therefore I am seeking support to cover my expenses and some of my parent chaperone's. I want to start fundraising now because we want to tie down our flights and accommodation to avoid last minute booking price rises, also so that I have peace of mind that I have reached my funding goals so I can focus on training and the logistics leading up to the event. I have other fundraising ideas and through the amazing support of Disco Skate I hope to run some fun activities and cake sales at the roller discos. I have also applied for a sport grant through local organisation Sports Haslemere and am awaiting the outcome, plus I work two evenings a week and am saving to put towards costs.

I have never needed to fundraise in this way or to this magnitude before, so any advice or guidance that you may be able to provide would be greatly appreciated. I am most appreciative for your consideration in this matter and would be really grateful of any support you may be able to offer.

"Pippa is not only a talented athlete, but also a passionate and enthusiastic ambassador for the sport. She trains regularly with both the junior and the adult leagues in her area, and often volunteers to coach and mentor younger or less experienced skaters. She is always eager to learn new skills and strategies, and to share her knowledge and experience with others. She is a positive and supportive teammate, who inspires and motivates her peers with her work ethic, attitude, and sportsmanship. She is also a role model for the sport, as she demonstrates respect, integrity, and fair play in every game."

Jonathan Emery, Head Coach for Team GB Junior Roller Derby