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Blagmeister
22nd February 2007, 17:32
New Governing Body for traditional karate fills the void left by Karate England.
In a bold move to address some of the shortcomings of previous Governing Bodies, Traditional Karate Great Britain emerges to answer the call from thousands in the UKs grass-roots karate fraternity.

Friday, 16 February 2007: A federation of traditional Karateka have banded together to form Traditional Karate Great Britain, offering a new approach in a Governing Body to the vast majority of people who are actively engaged in this aspect of karate.

It is clear that over the last few decades, the grass-roots traditional karateka in the UK has not been adequately catered for when compared to the amount of investment made to respective governing bodies in the shape of member contribution. A majority of the funding secured through government grant and membership contribution appears to have been used to pay for salaries and other items that appear to have produced little or no apparent benefit to the vast majority of the membership in real terms.

The focus of previous Governing Bodies for Karate has been very much on the sporting element, which is un-representative of the vast majority of groups and individuals who take part in karate every day throughout the UK. Up until now, the majority has been funding the activities of the minority which is both unfair and unreasonable.

Whilst there is a need for those involved in Sport Karate to be catered for, there is also a need for the vast majority to get value for money for the investment they make on a financial basis. Until such time as a body that addresses this issue is brought into existence, there will be an inequality in the provision for the majority of those taking part in karate every day throughout the UK.

Since the demise of Karate England and the associated EGM last year, a great deal of discussion has taken place between groups and individuals to try to ascertain the best way forward for traditional karate in the UK. Traditional Karate Great Britain has been brought into existence with the objective of addressing these issues for the majority. In view of the failure of previous Governing Bodies to adequately represent those they were supposed to serve, a new model is necessary to address this shortcoming, and to this end a policy of transparency, consultation, democracy and fairness has been implemented and the entire process of self-government has been made as equitable and even-handed as possible.

It is the belief of the TKGB that this can be realised and in giving all member groups and individuals a greater stake in the direction of the organisation, more will be achieved for the benefit of the majority of traditional karateka in the UK today.

TKGB is a non-prescriptive, non-profit, democratically-run federation of traditional karate associations in Great Britain operating as a governing body for supporting and promoting the practice of traditional karate. The purpose of this organisation is to accurately represent, promote and preserve traditional karate on a national basis, and best serve the needs of those who practice traditional karate in Great Britain in the form of a self-governing body. It is THE Governing Body for Traditional Karateka in the UK
www.tkgb.org

Simon Keegan
22nd February 2007, 17:51
So who is behind said association? I couldn't find any names on the website.

Blackwood
22nd February 2007, 18:01
Go to the Committee tab and click on the management committee to see the individuals that have been appointed.

Interesting set of bylaws. I'm not sure an organization that changes its entire slate of officers every two years is going to be stable, but it is better than having people 'elected for life.'

Simon Keegan
22nd February 2007, 18:07
I might have know I just wasn't looking properly. Here's the list of runners for everyone else's benefit who's as much of a web luddite as me:

Management Committee

Please Note: The current management committee has been appointed on a temporary basis only, in order to establish the operation of TKGB for the first 12 months following inception. After this period, there will be an AGM at which the membership will have the right to choose to either change the current management committee or to retain some or all of the committee members who are prepared to stand for a further 12 months, after which period, under the rules of election, the Committee must be replaced.

In order to promote a spirit of openness and transparency, you may contact the members of the Management Committee directly via email should your own organisation not be able to help you first. Please bear in mind that the holders of these posts do so on a voluntary and unpaid basis so you may not receive a response immediately. The current members of your Management Committee are:

Chairman: Harry Cook
7th Dan and founder of Seijinkai Karate-Do Assocation, a British-based group dedicated to the practice of Traditional Okinawan and Japanese Martial Arts and related systems. Mr Cook is well known in traditional karate circles and has written a number of books on the subject [including the feted Shotokan- A Precise History] as well as having being a contributor to a number of martial arts periodicals. He regularly teaches at seminars and events all over the world. To contact him please email hcook[at]tkgb[dot]org

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Vice Chairman: Rod Butler
5th Dan Shotokan, and Chief Instructor of Karate-London, Mr Butler has over 30 years of experience in Shotokan Karate. He was a long time member of the KUGB and the JKA. He is known for his contributions to various martial arts periodicals like Shotokan Magazine, Trad Karate and FAI and also for his book, “Keinosuke Enoeda – The Shotokan Tiger”. To contact him please email rbutler[at]tkgb[dot]org

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Vice Chairman: Phil Snewin
5th Dan Kamishin Ryu/3rd Dan Ryukyu Kobujutsu and Chief Instructor of Kamishin Ryu Karate-Do Association UK, Mr Snewin has 30 years of experience in Karate. He has also contributed to a number of martial arts periodicals and wrote for his regular column in Traditional Karate Magazine during the 1990s. He too regularly teaches seminars throughout UK in traditional karate, and also Ryukyu Kobujutsu under the auspices of Shihan Julian Mead of the RKAGB. To contact him please email psnewin[at]tkgb[dot]org

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Secretary: Ken Fanner
4th Dan Shotokan, and Chief Instructor of the Southern Counties Shotokan Karate Association, Mr Fanner has almost 30 years of experience in Shotokan karate and teaches Shotokan Karate from a traditional perspective. In recent years, he has focussed on researching the use of pressure points in Shotokan and his experience of cross-training in other disciplines gives him great insight into this aspect of traditional karate. To contact him, please email kfanner[at]tkgb[dot]org

Treasurer: Steve McKenzie
4th Dan Shito Ryu and Chief Instructor of Takumi Dojo Edinburgh. Mr McKenzie began training with the Takumi dojo in November 1986 and has risen through the ranks from student to!senior instructor.! Steve is a qualified accountant and is well versed in the financial aspects of the TKGB. To contact him, please email smckenzie[at]tkgb[dot]org

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Membership Registrar: Trevor Seddon
4th Dan Wado Ryu Karate and Chief Instructor of Derby Karate Club, a group of some 7 dojo in the Derby area. Mr Seddon has been training since 1989 and focuses on providing instruction of traditional Wado Ryu to students of all ages. To contact him, please email