Against All Odds: Lee Valley skater Beatrix is hoping to perform at World Inclusive Para Skating Championships
At just two years old, Beatrix Boutique was already learning to skate, while most kids were still finding their footing on two legs. Today, she’s a passionate figure skater on track to represent Great Britain at the World Inclusive Para Skating Championships and she needs your support to get there.
Beatrix’s love for skating took root at Lee Valley Ice Centre, where she now trains three times a week under the guidance of coaches Dannii Hunt Goldie and Christopher Martin Davis. Beatrix works tirelessly on her solo routines, blending strength and elegance with every practice.
Beatrix is also a proud member of Team Phoenix, Lee Valley’s synchronized skating squad, and a dedicated athlete with the GLL Sport Foundation. Alongside coaches Dannii Hunt Goldie and Rio Sully, Beatrix hones her precision and teamwork on the ice and continues her development off the ice with extra online training sessions.
Beyond skating, Beatrix studies ballet - a discipline that sharpens her posture, balance, and confidence, all vital to her performance on the ice.
What makes Beatrix’s journey truly remarkable is her resilience. In November 2024, she underwent open heart surgery, a significant hurdle she faced with quiet determination. Not long after, she returned to the ice, rebuilding her strength and routines step by step.
Her mum shares, “Beatrix has been diagnosed with dyslexia and dyspraxia and had open heart surgery in November 2024. She missed a whole year of school due to medical issues, so skating and the friendships she’s formed at the rink have been a lifeline.
“Beatrix was so eager to leave Intensive Care at Great Ormond Street that she just wanted to get back on the ice! She’s competing in both the Inclusive Skating solo competitions and with Phoenix, the synchronized skating team at Lee Valley.”
Now, Beatrix has a chance to shine on the world stage at the World Inclusive Para Skating Championships - a celebration of athletes who overcome challenges and inspire others. But to make this dream a reality, she needs help covering travel, accommodation, and training expenses. Her family is reaching out for support to help her glide toward this incredible goal.
Her coach Dannii Hunt Goldie said: “I have had the honour of teaching Beatrix since she was three years old. Beatrix wasn’t your normal child she would lose her balance a lot, but it soon became apparent it wasn’t just on the ice it was off the ice too.
“This is when her mum took her to the doctors to see what was going on. Through Beatrix's love of ice skating I taught her what her school teachers and family members couldn’t. Key life skills through skating and play she learnt her left and right, to balance and how to be resilient.
“This little ice princess battled through health issues and kept improving until this year she was able to take part in her first Inclusive Championships where she won first place, whilst still also remaining taking exams in very intense conditions. Beatrix truly is one in a million.”