We are pleased to announce that our new second dojo is ready to be brought into use.
We’ve chosen to name it the Zenryoku Dojo, with the Japanese term Zenryoku meaning ‘all one’s power’ or ‘whole energy’ which we think encapsulates the whole project and what we expect of students who will train in it.
When Cash Generators moved out and it became available, it was a storeroom with potential, but in a very poor condition.
We wanted to expand our current classes, as we had been forced to close some sessions to newcomers for being full. But we also wanted a dojo with a different feel, somewhere to work hard, work differently and where students would immediately understand that, when asked to train in the room.
We committed to a new five-year lease on the room and our current Academy. We had the ceiling replaced and raised to allow us to use weapons. A concrete partition was constructed to hold our seriously heavy duty kick bags.
A room was retained to provide a members gym to support the drive to get fitter. The purchase of the gym equipment was made possible from a donation following the passing of Kyeran Morrison, who regularly visited the club to watch his step-daughter Casey train.
We have dedicated the gym to Kyeran in his memory.
The room has also had full air conditioning installed just like our main dojo. To keep in line with the newly named Zenryoku Dojo, the main room will be now be known as the Kaoku or ‘family’ Dojo.
The whole project has been made possible with the encouragement and support of parent and student Pamela Lightbown. Her skills in grant funding applications assisted us in securing funding to the value of £38,495 from Sports England, The Clothworkers Foundation and Blackburn with Darwen Council. The Academy itself has added £10,000 from its own funds thanks to the Government Coronavirus Business Grant Awards.
With this fantastic new space, we can accommodate all our existing students, provide new opportunities, welcome more of our community to the Academy and offer extra facilities to members to support the pressing need to improve both fitness and lifestyle.
Our youth are our future, and by investing in them, they will develop into well-balanced and successful adults.
Raising their aspirations and allowing them to flourish in our unique ‘bubble’ in Blackburn town centre, will ensure a brighter future for our community, the town and it’s residents. Keigu (Kind Regards) Sensei