Since January the Swale Martial Arts Club, 127 East Street, Sittingbourne has be going through some Major improvements. The upstairs Dojo now has wooden wall panelling, new doors, new ladies changing room and shower, new electrical and light fittings, it will be installing an infrared sauna cabinet for those little knocks you get in the Martial Arts, also we have a specially designed floor. The floor in the Dojo had started to break up so we removed the old floor re-laid our old judo mats then laid a floor on top then placed a top state of the art new GMAT Judo area. This gives the whole area a lot more cushioning and can help prevent injury. The top Dojo will re-open in March.
Once the top Dojo is open we will then start on stage 2, which is turning the downstairs function hall into a Martial Arts Dojo. This Dojo will considerably smaller and will be the perfect venue for small classes, beginner classes, private lessons plus an area to workout in solitude. The whole operation should be finished beginning of April and the Club will have an opening on Easter Saturday with a Free come and try from 2pm till 4pm followed by an inter club Junior Team competition featuring Young Judo Club Sittingbourne/Milton/Bredgar v Faversham Judo Club v Young Judo Club Bexley v Spitfire Judo Club everyone is welcome.
The club was very lucky to be grant aided by Swale Borough Council, Awards For All Lottery Fund, Swale Police, Kent Community Foundation, Kent County Council Sports Development Unit and Friends of Swale Martial Arts Club without the support of these organisations the project would not have been completed and could have seen the club closing because some of the work was essential. Although money was important it was also very satisfying to realise that the clubs work with young and old people is appreciated by such lustrous organisations.
The alterations and new Dojo will allow the club to introduce new lessons, new Martial Arts and allow other clubs to hire the facilities to start clubs in Martial Arts we do not cater for. Already we have a Child Protection and First aid course organised in June.
A new Jiu Jitsu class will be starting soon with a rather unique Instructor: Tim Thomas 3rd Jiu Jitsu, Judo, 3rd Degree Sombo, Nunchuku exponent, Kurash national Coach, Instructor Free style Wrestling, ex paratrooper with 20 years Door Supervisor experience. His unique style of Jiu Jitsu incorporating all his experiences will be a big plus for the people of Sittingbourne. Martin Clarke and Roly White (who has come out of retirement) will be starting a SPORT COMBATSOMBO class on a Monday night. This combat sport evolves striking and grappling but unlike the ultimate fighting and cage fighting is not so gruesome and a lot safer, suitable for those who want to train a couple times a week. Roly White and the grappling will teach the Kickboxing side of the discipline by the UK’s leading grappling expert Martin Clarke. Keith and Ashley Costa hope to run regular Sombo & Kurash training sessions on a Friday for children, Miles Brown will be taking a regular Junior Nage No Kata Class and Pete Wise will be running a Non Competitive Senior Judo Class on a Tuesday.
If anyone is interested in Martial Arts go to www.sittingbourne.org, sombo@blueyonder.co.uk Hotline 0906 201 1403
Next Year the Young Judo Club is 50 years old a special Display followed in the evening with a Dinner Dance. Venue: Wyvern Hall Sittingbourne July 8th 2007