News
This page shares the latest news from LCTKD, including news of recent events and celebrations. The most recent events are at the top, and you can scroll down to take you back through what's been happening in recent months.
For information about class changes contact your Instructor, whose e-mail is on the relevant class pageor see our Facebook page. TaeKwonDo students can also use our LC-TKD app to check for holidays and scheduled class changes.
Wei Qi with Lighthouse Tai Chi
Our friends David Pelling and Helena Kean from Lighthouse Tai Chi were back with another great workshop, and as you can see a very happy group. Lots of our Instructors involved, and it's always teaching of the highest level with Lighthouse. We are looking forward to the next one!
Referees
Congratulations to the TKD students taking the sparring referees course, led by Mrs Rebecca Stanley. Thanks to Mr and Mrs Hall for their support, and to our wonderful junior sparring volunteers who fought so hard on a very hot day, allowing Mrs Stanley to include refereeing for younger students in the training. And thanks to the Jubilee Hall in the Cotswolds village of Blockley for switching the ceiling fans on for us! Click on the photo to see the full set of photos on our Facebook page, even if you don't have a Facebook account.
11 New Teaching Assistants!
Congratulations to our latest intake of Teaching Assistants, who came from Tai Chi, Qigong, TaeKwonDo and Iaido. A special thank you to course leader Mrs Helen M.F. Hall to the course teachers Mrs Michelle Baker, Mrs Rebecca Stanley, and Miss Flora Hamilton-Jones, as well as to Chief Instructor Neil R. Hall who came along to help. Well done everyone! There's a full set of photos on our Facebook page, and you can see them all even if you don't have a Facebook account by just clicking on the group photo above.
10 Years!
There has been so many of our students over the past year who have passed the 10 year mark with us. Well done to you all! Latest to join this esteemed list is Blockley TKD's Theo Fittes, who received his certificate from Mrs Rebecca Stanley, and just before him came Droitwich Tai Chi's Sue Field. Sue, who received her certificate from Droitwich Instructor Sheriden Rollo, is an Assistant Instructor herself, and also studies at Peopleton with Senior Instructor Louise Morey.
Swords in Northamptonshire
Lots of fun and plenty of cake when Iaido Tutor John Cartwright and Chief Instructor Neil R. Hall travelled to Higham Ferrers in Northamptonshire to meet up with Sensei Barry Jones's Wellingborough Iaido class for a kumitachi (sword fighting drills) workshop. A truly happy and welcoming group. You can find out about the class in Wellingborough by clicking on the photo above.
World Tai Chi Day 2026
Our ever popular free World Tai Chi Day event for everyone from tiny tots to nonogenerians has been running since 2013, and it was a glorious sunny day for the 2026 event, led by Sheriden Rollo. Thanks to her and all the teachers who helped, to Neil R. Hall for his technical workshop later, and to the sixty people who came along, some from a very long way, to make it so special. See you next year!
Samurai Talk
An truly interesting morning was had when Wellingborough Iaido's Sensei Barry Jones gave a talk to the Higham Ferrers Chichele Society, about the history of the Samurai, with a demonstration of Ikikai Iaido. A big thank you to Barry, and to the many people who came along.
Five Elements
A big thank you to Michelle Baker, who ran a free workshop for LCTKD teachers on Five Elements Qigong. No photographs! We understand too much tea was being taken in the breaks. Which reminds us also to thank the many teachers who attended, who enjoyed a very intersting afternoon, and who are looking forward to Michelle's next workshop.
Thank You to our Patron
After 30 years of incredible service to the community, our Patron Mrs Christine Yau MBE has stepped down as Chair of the London Chinese Community Centre, and she has taken up a new role as Honorary Cultural Ambassador to the Centre.
A big reception was held in honour of Christine, at the Hippodrome in Leicester Square. Our London Director Mr Jon Alagoa and his team represented LCTKD at the event, and the picture shows Christine, Jon, and Chinatown Instructor Miss Angela Sun. We owe so much to Christine, without whom LCTKD would not exist. A huge thank you to her and we wish her all the very best in her new role.
Two New Tai Chi Classes
It was great to open the year of the Fire Horse new Tai Chi classes focused on beginners, at the Artrix in Bromsgrove with Michelle Baker, and at Coughton Court with Louise Morey.
You can find out more about these classes with the links below.
Martial Applications
Well done to those who came and took part in a special workshop looking at the Martial Applications of Yang Style Tai Chi with multiple Black Belt and LCTKD Chief Instrucor, Neil R. Hall, ably assisted by double Black Belt, multi martial artist Lisa Williams, both of whom have long experience in Tai Chi alongside several other arts. They were caught here on a tea break!
Teaching Team
Well done to two key members of our teaching team. Dave Holmes, who has become an Assistant Instructor, helps to teach TaeKwonDo, Ensodo, and Iaido. John Cartwright, who has experience in many different martial arts, now teaches Iaido. Congratulations to them on taking another step up, and a big thank you to them both.
Black Belts
Broom in Warwickshire saw three Black Belt awards to local TaeKwonDo students after a fabulous final examination following months of preparation and assessment. Broom TKD's Instructor Mr Doug Knight became a 3rd Dan, with Tutor Miss Tilly Allen and Teaching Assistant Mr Theo Morgan both achieving their 1st Dan. Well done to all three on superb performances, and thanks to family and friends who came to share the day. Big thanks also to Chief Instructor Neil R. Hall, head of the panel, and to fellow panel members Mrs Helen M F Hall and Mrs Rebecca Stanley, who together also organised the whole event. A full set of photos are available on our Facebook page, even if you don't have a Facebook account, by clicking on the post below.
Congratulations
Many congratulations to Blockley TKD Instructor Miss Rebecca Nevin on marrying Rob and becoming Mrs Stanley!
Special Guest: The TeapotmOnk
It was a laughter filled and insightful workshop when Paul Read, one of the country's foremost Tai Chi teachers, distinguished author, and founder of one of the world's best known on-line Tai Chi schools, came to visit. At the long ago sold out get together, those lucky enough to be there were treated to Paul opening everyone's eyes (sometimes by closing them!) to what Tai Chi is and how it can be practised and taught. What a great day.
You can see photos from the day on our Facebook page, even if you don't have a Facebook account. Just click on the post below.
Shodan
Our Iaido has grown fabulously since we began to focus on the flowing Ikikai Iaido, and John Cartwright has been a big part of its popularity. So it was a great evening for everyone to see John presented with Shodan (Black Belt) at Badsey Enso, in the presence of his colleagues, family and friends. Well done John!
Another Tai Chi Instructor
Michelle Baker's Badsey Tai Chi welcomed another Instructor when Charlie Prior, who also trains at Louise Morey's Peopleton Tai Chi, was awarded his Instructor certificate after many years of training. Here he is with some of his Badsey colleagues celebrating his appointment as our 8th currently active Tai Chi Instructor. Well done Charlie!
Killer11
Well done London Director Mr Jon Alagoa, who once again had a short film featured at the Fighting Spirit Film Festival. This year it was Killer11, and here he is with most of the crew (which also involved Chinatown student Aeddan Sussex - who unfortunately isn't in this pic). Congratulations Sir!
Teaching Children Martial Arts
In her decades as a martial artist, Mrs Helen M F Hall has produced more Black Belts than any other teacher at LCTKD, and most of those Black Belts have grown up with her teaching, starting as sometimes tiny children. Her highly praised teaching of children has made Blockley juniors TKD full for years, and people who know the class often describe it as a "masterclass" in teaching children martial arts.
It was an insightful session when Mrs Hall shared thoughts about teaching children martial arts in a workshop with a select group of LCTKD's TaeKwonDo teachers.
Sai at Badsey
Great fun on a Tuesday evening when Mrs Helen M F Hall came to Badsey to teach Sai. You can see all the photos on our Facebook page by clicking on the pic above.
The Tao Te Ching
A fascinating evening for everyone when Neil R. Hall offered an on line workshop picking out lessons from famous Chinese classic, the Tao Te Ching (or Dao De Jing), with special guest Paul Read. Paul's own work with Cherry Jeffs on the classic is available now. It's called Nothing To Do, Nowhere To Go. You can skim through it in the video below, and find out more by clicking the image above.
Wu Wei
During the workshop, Neil talked about the often cited Chinese philosophical concept of Wu Wei, which features repeatedly in the Dao De Jing. Neil created a short website explanation to make this accessible to people who aren't experts in Chinese philosophies, and you can see it by clicking on the picture above.
Junior Leaders
Congratulations to our new Junior Leaders, and a big thank you to all the course teachers!
Tea, Cake and Tai Chi Secrets
There were lots of laughs, plenty of tea and cake, and some secrets that no-one is allowed to tell, when Neil R. Hall came out of Tai Chi seclusion to teach a workshop for all levels, and not just teachers, for the first time in years. Lots of people came, and learned how to appreciate Chinese tea properly, but practically, with lots of different methods and teapots, and there was plenty of lovely cake to share (thanks everyone!), plus time to consider some surprising things about Tai Chi. Sorry we didn't get a group photo, it was so busy! Here's the table looking nicely prepared. Click on the photo to find out more about our Tai Chi.
Double Black Belt
It was a very special night when Lisa Williams was awarded Shodan (that is, Black Belt) in the Japanese sword art, Iaido. In itself that's a fabulous achievement, with almost 10 years of dedication going in to it, but this was particularly special because it came just six months after Lisa was awarded her Black Belt in our self defence and weapons art, Ensodo.
As a double Black Belt, Lisa joins a very select group of senior students, but she is in an even more select group than that. As well as Ensodo and Iaido, Lisa is a long time student of Tai Chi, Qigong and Bujutsu, has cross trained with students of TaeKwonDo and SAMA, and regularly attends our Zendo workshops. This makes her only the fourth person to have trained in all 8 LCTKD arts, and the first woman to do so. (Senior Instructor Louise Morey has trained in 7.) What is more, Lisa is a qualified Instructor who can teach Iaido, Ensodo, Bujutsu, Tai Chi and Qigong. That's very rare indeed, and she is the only person in LCTKD apart from Chief Instructor Neil R. Hall who can teach that many arts. Wow!
Among the guests at Lisa's presentation joining her training colleagues were Lisa's family and friends, her Tai Chi teacher Michelle Baker, and two LCTKD Iaido legends who supported her when she started her journey, Bill Carmen and Mike Coleman. Well wishes also came from many of her closest Iaido friends from her journey, including Louise Morey, Kate Lewin, and Barry Jones.
You can find out more about all of our arts by clicking on the photo.
Tameshigiri
A recent Tameshigiri (target cutting) session at our Badsey Iaido class. There's a fun YouTube short of this, which you can see by clicking on the photo above.
21!
Yes, it is 21 years since LCTKD began, with its first session in the old Chinese Community Centre on Gerrard Street in London's Chinatown. Its co-founders Neil R. Hall and Gareth R. Hall were the only people there. In 20 years it has grown to have hundreds of students, and thousands have learnt with us since that first day with just the two.
Classes in the Chinese Community Centre are still going strong under Mr Jon Alagoa, having relocated to the new centre - which Neil R. Hall helped to negotiate - just round the corner in 2012. Classes in the midlands started in 2008 and have spread across four midlands counties, with another county likely to be added soon.
Neil R. Hall is now our Chief Instructor, while Gareth, who was our Chief Instructor, moved to the USA in 2018. From the early days at the old Community Centre and the start of classes in the midlands, Helen Hall, Drew Hall, Jon Alagoa, Connie Wong, Doug Knight, Rebecca Nevin and James Aspey are all still with us. And there's a host of other students who have now reached 10 years as part of the LCTKD family, including people from our Tai Chi and Iaido side. You can see the story of LCTKD by clicking on the image of our founders in our original home.
Qi
Well done to all the teachers who took part in an online Q&A about Qi. The video gives you a bit of a flavour of the topic, and if you are well in to it have a listen to a fun 8 minute podcast we organised.
The Cheng Man-Ch'ing (Zheng Manqing) Form
The photo missed one of our leading Instructors, Michelle Baker, but she was definitely there, with this group of teachers at the workshop focusing on the famous master's interpretation of Yang Style Tai Chi.