05/09/2026
15 YEARS OF VALE TKD ❤️
It’s hard to put into words what the last 15 years have meant to me.
From a very tough beginning which needed immense perseverance to continue, which wouldn’t have happened without Chris Charles being Mr Positive by my side & the support Lee Marren provided with the classes.
Fast forward 15 years and I look around at what Vale TKD has become, and I genuinely couldn’t be prouder.
Over the years we’ve achieved things I could only have dreamed of when we started. We’ve had 21 students selected to compete internationally, 5 European Champions, countless National Champions & Black Belts
But as proud as I am of those achievements, they aren’t what makes Vale TKD special.
It’s those who have been involved past and present. It’s seeing our students support each other through the good days and the difficult ones.
It’s seeing older students helping younger students, teammates cheering each other on, parents becoming friends, and people genuinely wanting to see each other succeed.
It’s watching nervous beginners walk through our doors and, years later, seeing them standing taller, more confident and helping the next generation coming through.
The standard our students have reached is honestly higher than I ever imagined it could be, some have moved on but will always be part of the Vale TKD story.
To our students, parents, assistants, supporters and everyone who has helped us over the last 15 years, thank you for putting up with my tangents in class, thank you for supporting the school. A special thank you to my wife who has put up with my constant Martial Art chat and somehow turning most conversations back to Taekwon-Do!
And thank you for helping turn something that started with one student into something far bigger and more special than I could ever have imagined.
I will never take for granted what has been built, this is why I come to each class fully enthusiastic, as I’ve stood in an empty sports hall hoping for someone to show up to my class. That’s a lonely place and I am thankful for anyone who leaves my classes having enjoyed my time.
Thank you all.
❤️🥋
