When we first started this adventure back in early 2016, our ambition was to be firmly rooted within the community and for us to support and work with them as best we could. We wanted to ‘give back’. As with all the best-laid plans, and many of our plans for the early years, this hasn't quite worked out as we thought it would as we began our journey.
We always like to reflect on what we have achieved. Over the last 7 years or so we've not done as badly as we thought we had. We have:
Opened a second full time centre in a deprived area of Oldham, supporting a local charity
Taken over a third Centre in Middleton, growing it from once a week to twice a week, with ambitions to make it a full time centre
Worked with local schools to deliver taster sessions & some introductory martial arts classes for children who would not normally be able to experience or access martial arts
Delivered community taster classes alongside Oldham Council, promoting being active in the community
Delivered Curriculum Enrichment classes to students from Oldham College
Hosted volunteer placements, school work placements & supported Duke of Edinburgh programmes
Developed & delivered women only classes so that Jewish and Muslim women could access physical exercise & martial arts like never before
Worked with the Jewish community to develop classes for Jewish males which meets their cultural needs
Supported a local Food Bank with collections made in our Centres and across other local centres
Supported Prestwich Carnival with sponsorship for several years
Buying locally whenever we can, supporting business in the local area and reducing ‘business miles’
Supported small local businesses to help them develop & expand
Developed & delivered a 10 week course for disengaged teenagers using martial arts as a catalyst for change
Worked with a local social enterprise to try to develop a martial arts offer that suitable for the more 'experienced' amongst our community (aged 65+)
Offered scholarship placements to those unable to afford tuition fees
Wholeheartedly supported the local I Will If You Will social movement for change
Worked with a leading ADHD practitioner to understand the impact of martial arts training on those with the condition - published in a book called ‘Own Your ADHD - Discover Your True Potential’ by Faigy Liebermann
Delivered free 6 week after school courses to children during pandemic lockdown
Raised over £3,500 for the Teenage Cancer Trust via students taking part in the 100 Squat Challenge
Developed & delivered a course of classes for students with Down Syndrome
Collected clothing & toiletries for the Afghan Refugee Appeal (2021)
Supported local fundraising opportunities (eg: raising money for medical treatment for children)
It's not a bad list and we wish we could do far more, but it's a good start and something we want to build upon in future years. If you have any great ideas then let us know? We're always looking for ways to give back to the community.
