It makes a change to see him in a shirt and tie instead of a dogi, but I'm sure most of you will recognise Staurt Graham, one of our karate instructors seen here recieving the AEEU cup and certificate for being the best 2nd year apprentice with Gen II.
The award was earned as part of Sellafield Ltd's "Business Excellence" awards for 2012. Stuart was recognised for consistent high performance in his first and second years as an E&I apprentice and for work on specific projects. It's clear that the ethos of persistent hard work to learn and improve doesn't stop for Stuart at the door of the dojo. The dedication we see in Stuart when working so hard in the dojo is the same dedication his employer must see in his work. This is a fantastic example of what we do in the dojo making a difference in our everyday lives. In his modesty, I know that Stuart will feel embarassed that he has been singled out for such an accolade and even more so that I've published it on here, but I'm sure you will all join in congratulating him on such a fantastic achievement. It can only show Stuart, the martial art we love, and the group to which we belong, in a very positive light, hopefully providing some inspiration to other apprentices and karate practitioners alike. Dave F
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For everyone comming along to The Waterfront in Whitehaven for our Christmas party on 21st December please note: The restaurant would like us all to pre-order our menu selections. It's pretty easy to do on line. Follow the link below and remember to put your party down as E.S.K.K. If you have problems please ring the Waterfront for help on 01946 328184.
If you can all please aim for arrival by 7pm for a 7:30 serving. There will be upwards 40 E.S.K.K members, friends and supporters there so it's going to be a fantastic night. There will be great food, great company and great entertainment. On the subject of entertainment, I'm sure you'll all join in thanking our very own Peter Hinde for organising our end of year event. We look forward to seeing you there. Dave F Here's the link: http://www.waterfrontbookings.co.uk/ E.S.K.K Martial Arts and Fitness has evolved a lot over the last 12 months. New dojo were formed for Sunday and Saturday classes as well as the regular Monday class. It was indicative of the group's success and increase in numbers that the December grading held on Sunday 9th had record numbers of students challenging their grade; so much so that we had to use a new venue - even though it was twice the size of our usual venue, it was pretty much packed out! It all made for an electrifying atmosphere and after a brief opening up by our Sensei, the first hour was spent warming up with a free prep lesson from the group's three other instructors and Chris himself. Although we have grown significantly, the "family" feel of the dojo is as strong as ever and this was very much evident as the newer juniors looked to their sempai for help and support as the clock ticked by the minutes before what was for many, their first ever grading. There followed a very impressive display by all those who challenged their first grade. After new red stripe belts were handed out to relieved students and proud parents. Chris remarked on the overall standard, which he thought was good and reflected the hard work of students and instructors alike. It was then time for those challenging 9th Kyu. This mix of juniors and seniors had sat with the rest of the quiet and respectful audience as the earlier group was put though its paces, giving the added build of tension and suspense. Grading isn't just about a technical performance, it's also about spirit, heart, courage and resolve and with such a good performance to follow, this next group certainly showed all of that in abundance to overcome nervousness and in-trepidation. They again put on an impressive display and Chris was able to congratulate them all as they collected their new belts. The final groups of juniors and seniors were those challenging 8th Kyu, 6th Kyu and 3rd Kyu. By this time some of the earlier youngsters and their parents had left, leaving a smaller but just as attentive audience. The grading for these was naturally more demanding and the energy and focus was palpable in the room. The days finale featured John Smallman, who put on a strong and focused display of resilience and determined spirit, as he successfully challenged his brown belt to now move over into the more advanced stages of training in preparation for black belt. I trust I can speak on behalf of all dojo members and supporters in offering him warm congratulations. Below, are the names of all those who successfully graded this time. It is difficult to pick out individual performances when the standard has been so good and we congratulate each and every member who were prepared to put themselves through a grading and shine through. But no matter how difficult, there were some performances that did shine particularly bright. There are degrees of "pass" within our grade examinations up to purple belt to help individuals understand where they are on their karate journey and where to focus on improvement and further learning. A first class pass is reserved for those who achieve an exceptionally high standard and Chris was very happy to award two of these on the day - to Paul Stewart and Elaine Ashford, who gave a performance that we should all be inspired from. Congratulations to them both and a big thanks to everyone who put in such hard work to grade this time. Dave F Grading Results (Dec 2012) To Provisional 9th Kyu (Red Stripe):
Callie White Thomas Todd Libby Todd Charlie Ashford Millie Ashford Oliver Jarvis Matthew Shields Jamie Coid Masie Mahone Ben McCarron Oliver Curwen Dylan Gilliland Elise Bragg Emily Rogers To 9th Kyu (Red Belt): Dominic Mills Jake McDowel Melissa Herbert Willow Jarvis Elaine Ashford - FIRST CLASS PASS To Provisional 8th Kyu (Yellow Stripe): Daniel Laurie Gemma Myerscough Iona Ford Sarah Hobbs To 8th Kyu (Yellow Belt): Paul Stewart - FIRST CLASS PASS Helen Rowe Kerry Wright Terry Ross To 7th Kyu (Orange Belt): Rhianna Myerscough To 6th Kyu (Green Belt): David Forsythe James Clark To 3rd Kyu (Brown Belt): John Smallman |
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