UK Martial Arts Festival for People with Disabilities/Breaking Down Barriers

[soctt03]

The above title is new for 2006. The event has now gone national having previously been regional. Also it has been [for 2006] expanded to a two-dayer. So here goes:

Thursday 16th November 2006 (yep! over 1 year away!): This will be Festival Day, a taster day for people with disabilities to trial a wide range of MA styles. It aims to attract two groups of people with disabilities: firstly those of you who are merely interested in trying out martial arts but have never done so.

Also we welcome practising martial artists with disabilities for the competitive as well as demo's elements (this was new for 2004 and we already have a good number lined up for 2006) plus general entry to the myriad of martial arts that will be on offer.

Then on Saturday 18th November 2006: Conference Day. The aim is to construct a strategy for the development of martial arts for people with disabilities as there is very little development work going on within the different styles (unless of course you know different!) so that instructors/governing body officials can take it back to thier dojo's/organisations to ACTIVELY put in to practice for themselves.

If any of you want to contact me please do so via this site or via private message if you prefer.

thanks

[john yates]

The above title is new for 2006. The event has now gone national having previously been regional. Also it has been [for 2006] expanded to a two-dayer. So here goes:

Thursday 16th November 2006 (yep! over 1 year away!): This will be Festival Day, a taster day for people with disabilities to trial a wide range of MA styles. It aims to attract two groups of people with disabilities: firstly those of you who are merely interested in trying out martial arts but have never done so.

Also we welcome practising martial artists with disabilities for the competitive as well as demo's elements (this was new for 2004 and we already have a good number lined up for 2006) plus general entry to the myriad of martial arts that will be on offer.

Then on Saturday 18th November 2006: Conference Day. The aim is to construct a strategy for the development of martial arts for people with disabilities as there is very little development work going on within the different styles (unless of course you know different!) so that instructors/governing body officials can take it back to thier dojo's/organisations to ACTIVELY put in to practice for themselves.

If any of you want to contact me please do so via this site or via private message if you prefer.

thankswhere will this be

[soctt03]

It'll be in Swanley, Kent

[Melanie]

The following message is on behalf of Terry Taylor - soctt03 :)

Dear All

I am seeking your help for the above event. I have written about it elsewhere on the MAP site and although what I am asking for might seem ages away please note I have already been planning for it for a year already!

The above event will be (a) national/international now and (b) will be 10 years old in 2006 – Activity Day is on Thursday 16th November 2006 and for those of you who wish to attend Conference Day it is two days later. The aim is to encourage people with disabilities in to martial arts specifically because of the benefits they will accrue from regular training (am sure I am preaching to the converted here but I’m sure you get my pitch). Also as an instructor especially if you have never worked at close quarters with this particular client group I am VERY confident you will get a heck of a lot out of the day and will, in the process, feel much more fired up about actively getting involved with coaching someone with a disability.

Many of the instructors who are already booked up for next year have either been before or have contacted me via the Web including from overseas. Some will have disabilities, others not. In an ideal world I am looking for (a) ‘new blood’ as this is something you are already genuinely ‘fired up’ about and/or (b) you are an instructor with a disability and/or are already coaching in this specialist area. I am also seeking your help from those martial arts that are perhaps less popular than most.

An important message though…NO WEAPONS PLEASE! This is basically an introductory day to mostly people who have never done a day’s martial arts in their lives before. The emphasis therefore will not just be on basics but plenty of fun too.

That having been said if you are a student with a disability I am running (again) a kata/forms/patterns competition and you would be welcome to attend for this and try out other martial arts styles that perhaps you have not tried before.

So, if you are interested/keen in volunteering your time etc. for Festival 2006 please can you contact me via the private message board including with your
e-mail address please so we can exchange contact ‘off line’ so to speak.

Many thanks for taking the time to read this.

[soctt03]

My apologies for not replying earlier. It's in swanley, Kent at White Oak Leisure Centre. If you need further info please PM me and then I can reply to you 'off line' so to speak. Thanks anyway