Combat Disciplines : Summer Camp 2016

Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Summer Camp 2016

50^th Annual Summer Budo Camp

Swale Martial Arts Club Sittingbourne

Yes 50 years since my Father started the Summer Budo Camp and how things have changed since then.

Nobby Clarke 6th Dan 1986

My father John (Nobby) Clarke started this venture back in 1966 when he was British Judo Council MAC General Secretary and the main focus was Judo, The BJC camp previous the this was at Grange Farm Chigwell Essex.

Members 1960's St Mary's Bay

Late 1960's Geoff Gleeson teaching Norman Clarke

Nobby decide he wanted to run a camp of his own back, how he came to use St Mary’s Bay New Romney I have no idea what I do know he spent 6 months of the Summer Holiday living there. It seems my mother was a very tolerant women of could it be she was very much involved in Judo herself being a Full time Judo Coach.

St Mary's Bay early 1985

The Venue for Camp would be the Schools Journey Centre Jefferstone Road St Mary’s Bay New Romney Kent with a week for Juniors followed by a week for Adults.

School Journey Centre 1960's

Life in the UK in the 60’s was very different from today Foreign Holidays was yet to take off and money was tight and there was no Nanny State you all lived with in your means and did not accept hand-outs. So many what take 1 week of the Annual Holiday at the Summer Camp what were a very cheap holiday as well as a training camp by the sea. It was not unknown for some to take their two weeks holiday at this time, the kids would come down the first week, Mum and Dad would have a week by themselves. Second Mum or Dad would stay at home with the kids while one went to senior camp. This continued right up to the Late 1980’s.

Late Seventies Margret Clarke Ron Reeves Peter Schonewille Daniel De Walle John (Nobby) Clarke

After several years the School Journeys Centre was sold for housing and Nobby move down the road to the Army Cadet Camp in St Mary’s Bay next to the famous Romney Hythe Dymchurch Railway. This period would be the best of times on the Camp History at it height Nobby would have 4 weeks, 2 weeks of Juniors and 2 weeks of Seniors. Budoka would come from all over Great Britain, Europe, Soviet Union, USA and Canada, the camp now accommodated Sambo, Jiu Jitsu, Karate, Aikido and Tae Kwon Do a true Budo Camp

Things changed when Nobby had a stroke in 1988 and I (Martin Clarke) took over up to the Mid 1990’s things continued with Kids and Seniors but things were beginning to change we see many more Martial Arts styles taking root, Traditional ones and newly invented ones but more importantly Laws on organising Children Camps made financially impossible to continue with Kids Camp. When Nobby first started there was nearly just Judo with the odd Karate and Jiu Jitsu club. So Martin continued with the Senior camp for many years, late 90’s saw us move from St Mary’s Bay to the new Army Cadet Camp at Dibgate Folkestone

Dibgate

but the good time were to finish with the ACF stopping all private hiring’s. That when my son John took up the reigns it was his idea to keep the Camp going in a new format.

The Camp was to be at our Dojo at the Swale Martial Arts Club Sittingbourne in a shorten form. Friday night would be the Annual Bash, Saturday and Sunday morning would be tuition and Sunday afternoon would be grading’s. Everyone in the IBF wants to get their Black Belt Dan Grade at Summer Camp.

This year John Clarke assisted by Colin Carrott had one of the best Mini Summer Camps and the future looks great just to think 4 years ago I thought it had all finished.

Examiners

The Dan Grading panel was Martin Clarke 8^th Dan, Trevor Davies 6^th Dan, Greg Garside 5^th Dan, Colin Carrott 5^th Dan and they are pleased to say the list below were the successful candidates

So the future for the IBF is looking good plus we have seen a small increase in membership.

I think a special mention was for Adam Dodds who obtained his 1^st Dan his Father Russell Dodds a great favourite of the IBF/BSF died just 14 months ago and I know he will be looking down from Heaven on his Son with great pride