Youngsters to gain from Sport England boost to Kendo

• Friday, 29 January 2010

Kodokan Kendo Club in Rickmansworth has been given a boost in its expansion plans with a National Lottery-funded grant from Sport England, allowing the club to inject financial support to its new junior section.

The club, run by Paul Budden, a National Association of Karate and Martial Art Schools (NAKMAS) registered senior instructor, can now further its commitment to offer Kendo to youngsters in the area, and provides a template for the work done between club and NAKMAS to successfully secure support from national organisations such as Sport England.

Joe Ellis, chairman of NAKMAS, says:

"Securing funding requires high standards in the way a club operates and its ambitions. Paul Budden has shown other clubs how it can be done and with NAKMAS behind them other clubs can follow this example.

"NAKMAS is committed to extending the martial arts to the community at large and has reached new standards in becoming more inclusive, securing accreditation to the Equality Standard: A Framework for Sport Preliminary Level.

“We have also introduced the NAKMAS Equality Training Awareness initiative for instructors and their employees and volunteers to further increase diversity and inclusion in the martial arts. Kodokan Kendo Club has shown that this commitment is worth far more than the paper it is written on."

Paul Budden, 7th Dan Renshi, of KKC says:

"At Kodokan we follow the old teachings of Japanese Kendo which can often be seen in Samurai sword fighting dramas and films, but with the fully modernised sportive and competitive elements relevant to the current modern society's needs. A high emphasis is placed on etiquette and self control rather than just combat ability and this is an essential part of the curriculum at Kodokan. Those skills are vital to the youngsters our new junior classes are aimed at."

The first junior class starts on Saturday the 27th February from 12 noon to 1pm for nine to12 year olds, followed by classes for 13 to 17 year olds from 1pm to 2pm. The sessions are held weekly at Princess Marina Sports Complex, The Royal Masonic School for Girls, Chorleywood Road, Rickmansworth.

To find out more contact KKC at info@kodokankendo.org.uk or call 07785 940670. Alternatively, visit www.kodokankendo.org.uk

Ends

Notes to editors:

Find out more about Equality Standard: A Framework for Sport at www.equalitystandard.org

The National Association of Karate and Martial Art Schools (NAKMAS) National Governing Body is a non-funded national governing body and is a member of CCPR (the Central Council of Physical Recreation). With its Head Office based in Kent, NAKMAS governs all forms of traditional and modern martial arts and has over 73,000 members within the UK.

NAKMAS is an approved insurance provider via Zurich and holds a National and International Quality Standard Certificate via the BSI (British Standards Institute).

For further information, please contact:
Joe Ellis, Chair of the NAKMAS National Governing Body
Tel: 01227 370055 / 07976 736404
Fax: 01227 370056
Email: joe.ellis@nakmas.org.uk
Site: www.nakmas.org.uk

This press release was distributed via Response Source, a service from Daryl Willcox Publishing, on behalf of National Association of Karate and Martial Art Schools (NAKMAS). For more information visit http://www.dwpub.com/pressreleasewires