KENDAL Taekwondo has been awarded clubmark, the national kitemark status for community sports clubs.

Clubmark is Sport England’s cross-sport quality accreditation for clubs with junior sections and is the only nationally recognised way sports clubs can show children, parents and schools that they offer a safe and quality-assured environment.

Kendal Taekwondo was launched way back in 1972 by Percy Gill, who taught a handful of local lads.

One of them was Phil James, a Seventh Dan Master who took over the reins from Percy 30 years ago and expanded the club and produced some fantastic competitors and senior black belts.

For the past 10 years it has been run by Beverley Fallows (Sixth Dan), one of his pupils, with assistant coaches James Wilkinson, Sharon Titterington, Adam Hayton and Chris Briggs.

Beverley said: “Taekwondo has been part of my life for 33 years and has made me who I am today. The benefits of learning this martial art are amazing and include increased strength and stamina, confidence, flexibility, agility and self –esteem as well as my personal favourite, fantastic friends for life."

As the club has grown, so have the classes, from fun Iron Monkeys sessions for five to seven-year-olds to junior development (8-11) and senior (12+) classes, all overseen by experienced coaches.

The club also regularly attends competitions throughout the country for those with an interest in fighting and holds extra training days with other clubs in the Cumbria Taekwondo group.

Becky Underwood, development officer at Active Cumbria, who assessed the club for clubmark status, said: “Kendal Taekwondo works hard to run to the highest standards. It has committed and well-trained coaches and volunteers, each session is well planned and members clearly love developing their skills. The accreditation was well deserved."

To find out more about clubmark, visit www.sportenglandclubmatters.com/club-mark. Or for more information about Kendal Taekwondo call Beverley Fallows on 07739-181553 or email beverley@cumbriataekwondo.co.uk