Colne Valley Instructor Celebrates 40 years in Martial Arts by Embracing New Equality Training

Colne Valley Black Belt Academy, nestled in the heart of the Colne Valley, is run by renowned Senior Martial Arts Instructor Bob Sykes, 6^th Dan Black Belt, who has been practising for 40 years. The full-time Academy has a well-deserved reputation as a family martial arts centre, encouraging adults and children from three years old, to take up martial arts including karate, kickboxing and tai chi… Sykes has now taken his knowledge a step further.

All instructors of the CVBBA, members of the National Association of Karate and Martial Art Schools (NAKMAS), have recently gained Equality Awareness Qualifications, and their aim is to continue to expand their popular classes within all areas of the local community. Classes, available to both children and adults, will encourage more students with a range of educational, physical and neurological needs, including high functioning autism spectrum conditions.

Already the CVBBA has an inclusive approach and believe that martial arts should be open to all; this commitment to equality and diversity can now be more formalised with their recent training.

Sykes said, ‘we pride ourselves on having an academy that not only deals in equality but that welcomes diversity with open arms. It is our unique mix of all ages, abilities, genders, and cultural differences that makes us the academy we are today’.

Not only is Sykes, a long-established instructor in Huddersfield, he is also editor of the UK’s leading Martial Arts Illustrated magazine with knowledge of a wide variety of martial arts governing bodies. He took a leap of faith in NAKMAS and its initiatives.

NAKMAS currently hold the Intermediate level of the Equality Standard: A Framework for Sport, a government initiative run with UK Sport, to accredit sporting bodies with national equality standards. They are working towards the Advanced level and this involves clubs and organisations within membership taking equality awareness on board. Another such initiative is the Safe Kids Campaign; its purpose being to raise awareness of bullying for the junior members of the clubs across the UK.

Parents at the CVBBA speak highly of the club: ‘CVBBA is a brilliant family oriented club’; ‘awesome place with awesome teachers’; ‘CVBBA has taught my child respect, concentration, and confidence since he has been training with them’.

Dr Sandra Beale-Ellis, Director of Operations for NAKMAS, said, ‘we are pleased that Bob had the confidence to enrol his Academy with us, and impressed at their efficiency and open mindedness to embrace new processes and training initiatives. We are proud to be able to support the CVBBA in their bid to expand their student base and help their local community’.

You can contact Colne Valley Black Belt Academy at www.cvbba.co.uk or call Natalie Robinson on 01484 844386 or 07827 276518.

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NOTES TO EDITORS

Find out more about Colne Valley Black Belt Academy their website at www.cvbba.co.uk or the Facebook page via:

https://www.facebook.com/ColneValleyBlackBeltAcademy/

Contact Natalie Robinson Tel: 01484 844386 or 07827 276518.

Find out more about NAKMAS at www.nakmas.org.uk or via Facebook www.facebook.com/nakmasngb

NAKMAS has secured the Equality Standard: A Framework for Sport. To find out more about Equality Standard: A Framework for Sport at http://equalityinsport.org/

The National Association of Karate and Martial Art Schools (NAKMAS) National Governing Body is a non-funded national governing body and is a member of Sport & Recreation Alliance (formerly known as the CCPR) and The Association For International Sport For All. With its Head Office based in Kent, NAKMAS governs all forms of traditional and modern martial arts and has over 65,000 members.

NAKMAS is an approved insurance provider by XL Catlin and holds a National and International Quality Standard Certificate via the BSI (British Standards Institute).

For further information, please contact:

Libby Ellison – NAKMAS Press/Media Officer

Email: libby.ellison@nakmas.org.uk

Tel: 01227 370055

or

Joe Ellis – NAKMAS Chair

Email: joe.ellis@nakmas.org.uk

Tel: 01227 370055