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Sensei Simon McMahon
Sep 8, 20202 min read
Return to Training
We are pleased to announce some sort of return to karate training, albeit a bit limited. With the exception of Bletchley, training will...
Sensei Simon McMahon
Aug 10, 20201 min read
COVID Online Kata Competition - Results
To maintain practice and focus during 'Lockdown' we recently held an online Covid Kata Competition. Thank you to everyone who entered and...
Renshi Kidby
Jun 18, 20201 min read
Shihan Michael Randall
A message from Renshi Kidby, June 2020. I am saddened to have to report that Shihan Mick Randall has passed away in hospital due to...
Farah Didi
May 20, 20204 min read
Karate and Special Needs
I was totally unaware how karate can help children with certain types of special needs. This is my story of a steep learning curve that...
Sensei Andy Gillies
Apr 25, 20206 min read
An Interview with Kevin Funakoshi, 8th Dan FSKA-WORLD
An interview with Kevin Funakoshi Sensei, Shuseki Shihan, Hachi dan (8th Dan) Funakoshi Shotokan Karate Association World by Sensei Andy...
Sensei Pam Waterhouse
Apr 8, 20204 min read
Training In Japan
One of the positive things to come out of this crisis is that it gives you more time. I’m getting round to things that I’ve been meaning...
Renshi Kidby
Mar 20, 20202 min read
Did You Know? - Punchlines 1996 Article
President Roosevelt took Judo lessons under 10th Dan Yamishita in the Whitehouse back in 1902 along with his daughter. They both went on...
Sensei Simon McMahon
Mar 14, 20202 min read
Kyu Gradings - March 2020
Over the grading weekend many students turned up nervously anticipating their grading. To grade is a reward for many visits to the dojo...
Sensei Hannah Kidby
Feb 21, 20203 min read
Snowmen - Article from Punchlines Magazine 1996
Another extract from the CFTS Punchlines magazine 1996 by Hannah Kidby. Hannah is the eldest of Renshi’s Daughters who was Nidan Black...
Renshi Kidby
Feb 7, 20202 min read
An Extract from Punchlines 1996
Two Masters meet. They fought until sunset, and then through the night. They fought until the sun rose and fought on until the morning...
Renshi Kidby
Jan 1, 20201 min read
2020 Calendar
Sat Jan 25th Tech Committee Meeting Balliol School Sat March 7th Bedford Area Gradings Kempston Challenger Academy Sunday March 8th...
Sensei Simon McMahon
Dec 11, 20191 min read
Thomas Marshall
I originally began karate at six years old, as one of my friends at the time was going and he said it was really fun. At first I was...
Renshi Kidby
Dec 10, 20192 min read
Punch Lines by Renshi Kidby
Who has been around long enough to remember the CFTS magazine we had way back called 'Punch Lines'? It began in December 1994 so you need...
Sensei Simon McMahon
Dec 7, 20191 min read
Kyu Grading - December 2019
A busy time, the December gradings, as the after school clubs are all fired up and ready to grade. There was a great turnout of kyu...
Sensei Simon McMahon
Nov 23, 20192 min read
Olivia Marshall
At the age of 11, I started CFTS Federation karate. At the time I was nervous and unsure what it was going to be like, but it was...
Sensei Simon McMahon
Nov 13, 20191 min read
Katie Holmes
I started karate in 2014 when I was 12 years old because one of my friends had recently joined as well. However, this friend stopped...
Sensei David Francis
Nov 9, 20192 min read
Sensei Andi Kidd Course - November 2019
Junior members met at Balliol School at 1pm for their session in the main school hall. To begin with they did one-on-one self-defence...
Sensei Simon McMahon
Nov 2, 20192 min read
Elsie Parlor
I first started karate when I was 7 years old in January 2013. My brother had attended a few training sessions at Cedars with Renshi...
Sensei Simon McMahon
Oct 29, 20191 min read
Jamie Ogston
My karate journey began in 2013 when I was a second year University student looking to do an extracurricular activity instead of having...
Sensei Simon McMahon
Oct 4, 20193 min read
AGM and Dan Gradings - October 2019
October 5th was the latest event in a long line of events and courses in the usual busy CFTS calendar. It was our very busy 'Black Belt'...