Dene Josham – Rising Through Resilience

Let’s look back at another hellomynameis surprise speaker who joined us at the hellomynameis Charity Lunch and Business Showcase

Dene Josham’s story is one of extremes — discipline and chaos, glamour and despair, resilience and vulnerability.

As Dene began to speak, the room fell silent. Every person sat completely still, captivated by his raw honesty and emotion. You could hear the weight of his words, spoken straight from the heart.

His story reached everyone in that room; it wasn’t just a speech, it was a moment of shared reflection on strength, pain, and hope.

As a child, Dene was bullied at school and carried the weight of fear and low confidence. Discovering boxing at 13 changed everything. For the first time, he felt strong enough to stand up for himself, a spark that shaped the rest of his life.

In his twenties, after a mix of jobs and dreams of professional kickboxing, Dene found his calling in the Royal Marines.

He describes it as the moment when “everything clicked”, peak fitness, unshakable camaraderie, and the belief that nothing was impossible.

But during leave, a tragic accident changed everything. Hit by a drunk driver, Dene suffered devastating injuries to his leg and foot. Months of surgery, MRSA, and isolation in the hospital ended his military career before it began. He had a choice: crash and burn, or, in his words, “crack on.”

He chose to crack on.

Close protection work opened the next chapter. Dene quickly established himself as a trusted bodyguard, working in hostile environments and alongside some of the world’s most famous stars. He walked red carpets with Russell Crowe, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Behind the glamour, though, was a relentless pressure and personal struggles. A toxic relationship and untreated trauma took their toll, pushing Dene to the brink of suicide.

It was this turning point that reshaped his path once again. In 2020, he retired from bodyguarding to pursue his true purpose: helping others feel safe, confident, and empowered.

As co-founder of Streetwise Defence, Dene now delivers CPD-accredited, trauma-aware programmes for corporates, schools, communities and individuals. His ethos is simple: violence is never the answer, but everyone deserves the skills and confidence to feel safe.

This aligns with the vision and mission of Streetwise Defence: a world where everyone is safe, both emotionally and physically, and where people are empowered with the knowledge, skills, and mindset to protect themselves from trauma and harm.

Dene’s story is not about celebrity or combat; it’s about resilience, self-worth, and the belief that no matter how far you fall, you can choose to rise again.

As he finished speaking, the room erupted into heartfelt applause, not the polite kind, but the kind that comes from people truly moved. Many were left visibly emotional, inspired by Dene’s courage to turn pain into purpose.

For more information:

Contact: info@streetwisedefence.com

Visit: www.streetwisedefence.com

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