Grading date at Nuffield Health will be 20th July. Remember, that means one longer session starting for everyone at 10.00 prompt. You must bring your licence with you.

Clevedon grading will take place Wednesday 17th July at Tickenham Village Hall starting promptly at 19.00.

I know I am very early on this but like anyone I can forget dates: Last Nuffield Health will be on 27th July returning back on 24th August so therefore no training the first three weeks of August.

All Saints Clevedon are also having the flooring ripped up and replaced and it will be closed for the Fridays of 16th, 23rd and 30th August. I will keep you updated over this. At this moment I have no known closures for Tickenham.

Yatton will be closed for training on Monday 29th July, also August 5th and the bank holiday of August 26th.

I shall soon be putting in an order for our white T-shirts with the club badge on. Please let me know if you require any. A point about T-shirts: Although the club is very traditional in many ways we do relax a little more as the summer hot weather hits home, hence allowing the students to wear a club T-shirt instead of a Gi top (belts must still be worn). Girls/ladies must always have a white T-shirt on under their Gi but sorry lads we do not wear them under a Gi. OK when, as now, we have said wear a T-shirt, but not a T-shirt and a gi top for the lads/men. If you are recovering from a chest infection or something, more so during the winter months and need that extra warmth please let us know as when. There are specific reasons rules can be bent.

Nigel and I have spoken about the subject of how far in kata a student should learn above their grade. It is not to try to hold anyone back but to make sure that the kata you know are being performed correctly. The second session there again has more leeway on this as it is aimed at senior grades, but we do need to rein in a little as students are learning higher kata at the expense of their first kata. Every student learns at a different rate and as an ex-British kata official I am pleased to see so many with a love of kata. Please work hard on those stances and yes we can push you higher up that chain, stay on for second session sometimes and you will get the chance to practice higher kata but the first session should be for those kata required for your next grade.

June 16th Ayden Hill