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Glanton Bob - Echoes from the edge of town »FOR quite some time a dedicated group of martial artists in the region have been working hard to raise cash for Cancer Research UK.
They do this not for the glory but because they want to make a difference – and as such they are unsung heroes.
The foremost of these unselfish and caring guys is Sensei Peter Seth who spends most of the year organising the North’s biggest martial art showcase, the Marfest International Martial Arts Festival held annually in Sunderland.
Peter, as anyone who knows him will tell you, is an unassuming person without a huge ego often associated with those who promote such showcase events.
But what he lacks in ego he makes up with a big heart. He has dedicated his life to helping others by raising thousands and thousands of pounds for Cancer Research UK.
Another big-hearted guy is Sifu Steve Youngman who helped to raised £20,000 to help pay for a specialist limb for a young boy struck down by cancer.
Just like Peter he has no thought about self-aggrandisement – his driver is to help those stricken with this awful disease.
So, how can we the wider martial arts community help?
Well Peter has a vision. He wants as many martial arts groups and associations across the North to hold their own events to raise cash for this vital charity.
My own association has taken up the challenge and will be holding such an event at Alnwick, Northumberland on January 27 at the Willowburn Sports Centre.
It will be a multi-style event open to any martial artist regardless of system or association. All we ask is that you come along with an open mind and heart.
Other groups such as the Kuri Nami Kenjutsu dojo will also be holding seminars later in this year.
But wouldn’t be great if more groups did likewise and we showed the rest of our communities exactly what martial arts are really about? Just think how much of a difference it would make if every Aikido, Ju-jutsu, Ninjutsu, Wing Chun Kung Fu and kickboxing and karate clubs and others all made the effort and held seminars, workshops and other events in aid of Cancer Research UK?
Not only would it show how big-hearted martial artists can be, it would also help to bring people from different arts together in a common purpose regardless of style and association.
If you can’t organise such an event then go and participate in some of the other seminars. The money raised will be your contribution to kicking cancer where it hurts.
You see the money raised is not going out of the region but will be spent here finding new cures at Cancer Research UK’s centre in Newcastle. And with one in three of us likely to develop this killer condition in our life times that money and time invested now maybe YOUR lifeline in the future.
Steve Youngman’s Kick Cancer event is being held at the Jarrow Community Centre, Cambrian Street, Jarrow, on Sunday, February 24 from 11 – 5pm. Some of the region’s top instructors will be there from a multitude of styles.
Peter’s Marfest08 will be held in early May (details to be confirmed).
If you can please attend these events and others being organised as we speak – because together we can make a difference.
For further information on these and other courses email me at phil.doherty@hotmail.co.uk
I will then put you in touch with the event organisers.
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