Rushmoor Schools Plus funds Precision black belt scholarship
A new group of high-spirited youngsters is set to embark on World Kickboxing Champion Paul Bernard’s unique life-changing black belt scholarship scheme thanks to £5,000 from Rushmoor Schools Plus.
Master Bernard will kick-start the new master class in martial arts for 30 local youngsters next Thursday (February 11) teaching them discipline, focus, respect and self-worth in a bid to help them transform their lives.
The students will be split into two groups of 15 for the six-week sessions at Precision Martial Arts Academy in Aldershot with the youngsters showing most promise securing scholarships to train for their black belts. The £5,000 funding from Rushmoor Schools Plus will cover the cost of the initial kit and the gruelling induction course.
Rushmoor Schools Plus – a partnership between local schools and organisations working to improve the opportunities of children and families in the area – stepped forward with the funding after Precision’s success with three boys from the region’s Youth Inclusion and Support Panel (YISP).
Master Bernard said: “We are grateful to Rushmoor Schools Plus for their support and generosity. The funding allows us to extend our black belt scholarship scheme to help more children in the area.
“The YISP lads who started the scholarship six months ago have come along in leaps and bounds. The change in their attitude to life, the discipline and respect they show at home, school and to fellow students at the academy has been amazing.
“I’m looking forward to welcoming the new students to Precision and helping them achieve great things through the martial arts teachings.”
Liane Brazier, case worker from Rushmoor YISP, said: “We were so impressed by how effective Precision’s scholarship scheme was for the three boys from YISP that we were keen to keep it going. We are delighted Rushmoor Schools Plus has come forward with the funding for the project. Some of the 30 children training with Master Bernard are from YISP and the rest are youngsters from the region who we believe would benefit from martial arts.” YISP is part of the Wessex Youth Offending Team working with children who play truant, have problems at home and at school or have come to the notice of the police. Often, the eight to 13-year-olds are referred to YISP by police, children’s services, teachers, community safety teams and even parents who are keen to stop them turning to crime.
Last autumn, Ross Clynes, Aiden Nisbet and Paul Linsell from YISP successfully came through the gruelling six week induction at Precision to win scholarships to continue training for their black belts.
Family, friends and youth workers reported positive changes in all three boys at home and school since they started at Precision. The youngsters gained confidence, discipline, respect and how to control their anger at home and in school.
Precision Martial Arts still needs funding to enable the scholarship youngsters to continue their tuition through to the black belt leadership course which can take between three to five years.
Business leaders and companies interested in supporting the scheme should contact Elaine Bernard on 07977 431204.
About Precision Martial Arts:
Precision Martial Arts has two academies catering to the needs of people in Surrey and Hampshire. The Camberley school was launched in 2001 and Precision's first full-time academy opened January 2007. The second full-time academy opened in Aldershot in March 2008.
Precision Martial Arts was founded by World Kickboxing Champion Master Paul Bernard in 2001 to meet the demand for lessons from the local community. Today, with his wife Elaine working alongside him, Paul has four highly trained instructors on staff teaching a total of 200 students in the two academies.
Students are taught a selection of martial arts including Kickboxing, Karate, Taekwondo, Brazilian Jujitsu and Kung-Fu and work their way up a succession of belts from the beginners white to the ultimate black belt.
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