LYMM’S Gen’Dai Martial Arts Club has closed following the retirement of founder Dave Shipton.
The club, founded in 1984, has taught hundreds of local people in self-defence, discipline, respect, confidence and fitness.
Many returned for the final club session to say goodbye to Dave and to look back fondly on their time with the club.
One member said: “Each lesson taught discipline and respect, but also how to show good sportsmanship, how to get up when you’re knocked down and how to defend yourself.”
Dave Shipton is not only the founder and Sensei of Gen’Dai, but he’s a former national champion, achieving 5th Dan. For those who don’t know , 5th Dan is a level of skill in Karate, often considered senior master level.
Dave trained under Sensei Keinosuke Enoeda, an 8th Dan Shotokan karate master, who was the former instructor to the Karate Union of Great Britain.
The last session saw the return of many students, some that had left in the last year and some returning after almost a decade. Many of these ex-students came for the whole session, training for one last time, some came in for the end just to say goodbye.
Everyone got a chance to chat with Dave before the club closed.
