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2020 IN NUMBERS
By Admin
27 December 2020 11:45 am

The end of the year is a great time to rest, reflect and take stock. And in 2020 there have been more changes to reflect on than in most years! Let's take a look at the numbers...

This year members have had 436 hours worth of training opportunities. Whether it's been indoors, outdoors or on Zoom, you've been straining every sinew to get better at every opportunity in a year where more hours of karate instruction have been offered than ever before. Thanks to all of our instructors for your herculean efforts and to our members for your flexibility and support.

Despite the strange circumstances, this has actually the busiest ever year for seminar opportunities, with four face-to-face seminars and a further five Zoom events.

Zoom has opened up the chance to train with some exceptional instructors. We were most grateful to all of our visiting senseis, with each of them received stellar feedback on their session. Thank you to WTKO world chief instructor, Richard Amos (8th Dan),  JKS England squad coach, Sensei Matt Price (6th Dan), KUGB Grand Champions Sensei John Bruce (5th Dan) and Sensei Holly Bruce (5th Dan) and finally to our Australian friends and ISKF world champions, Sensei Adam Pearce (5th Dan) and Sensei Tracy Pearce (4th Dan). You're forgiven for your mild mocking of our British culinary delights during your class!

While lockdowns and COVID restrictions made organising gradings tricky, we still managed to host three this year.  In particular we'd like to thank Sensei Frank Brennan (8th Dan) and Sensei Jim Brennan (8th Dan) who both showed great flexibility when our grading dates needed to change. Never before have we had a grading outdoors in winter! Well done to everyone that passed!

Thank you to all of our members for showing enthusiasm, resilience and for striving to get better, no matter what has been thrown at you.

We look forward to 2021 with renewed optimism for the opportunities it will present us. It's going to be an amazing year.