Independence

Phoenix Wado Ryu is an independent karate club. When we established the Club, we decided we would not join a federation or affiliate to a large association, as we believe that it would restrict the way we operate as a club. Invariably being a member of a large association can lead to interference and the necessity to increase prices and in our experience does not guarantee the quality of either the instructors or the club. We believed and continue to believe that this is not in the interests of our members.

What does independence mean? It means we can run our club the way we want to, ensuring that costs are kept low and that students meet the exacting standards we set and are graded by examiners who know the students and know the style practised. We do not seek accolade or status within the martial arts world but simply strive to achieve Phoenix Wado Ryu's aims and objectives.

Does independence come at a cost? We do not believe so. In fact we believe that being independent gives us an advantage. We source our own insurance direct from the market and negotiate our own rates to ensure we get the best deal. This also enables us to control the issuing of licences and means we are not reliant upon any intermediary so our students are insured as soon as they walk into our dojo.

We operate a child protection policy drafted in accordance with the NSPCC Child Protection in Sports Unit and the Warwickshire Area Child Protection Committee guidelines, which we can ensure covers all aspects specific to our Club and the way we train. In addition, all instructors are criminal records bureau (CRB) checked.

We attend outside courses which ensures a level of balance with our own ideas and practices and the Instructors have received training in First Aid.

Not for profit

What makes us stand out from the rest, apart from our training and independence is that Phoenix Wado Ryu is a genuine "not for profit" Club. This means we strive to keep costs to a minimum - we offer discounts for members of the same family, students, and for attending more than one lesson per week. Despite increases in hall rent and insurance we have not increased the lesson fees or membership charges since we established the Club.

The money we make is channelled back into the Club and used for the benefit of its members, this includes for the juniors:

• bowling and a meal
• pizza parties at local restaurants
• gift vouchers, prizes and certificates
• selection boxes at Christmas and
• Easter Eggs at Easter

For the adults it includes:

• a Christmas party
• evening drinks
• bowling and
• meals out at a local pub

In addition to using the money for its members we also use money for sponsorship towards good causes and to benefit charities, for example we sponsored two members who ran the London Marathon, we attended an event to raise money for the Tsunami appeal, the Club also made a donation to the Tsunami appeal and members take part in the Two Castles run and raise sponsorship.

In addition to events funded by the club, other social events regularly take place (see Social Page).