December Newsletter 2025
We have plenty of upcoming events to keep you busy, so please read our Newsletter so you can keep up to date with everything happening across the Club between now and the end of 2025:
*South Manchester Senior Class is Open Thursday 28th November*
Venue: Ashton on Mersey School, Cecil Avenue, Sale. M33 5BP.
Time: 8:00-9:00pm
Book your spot now via the APP if you want to train hard and see if you've got what it takes to survive the South Manchester Seniors! If you are going for your Dan Grade this Sunday, you are welcome to attend and get your last bits of practising in before the the big day.
*Winter Course and Dan Grading takes place this Sunday 30th November*
Venue: Kearsley Academy, Springfield Rd, Kearsley. BL4 8HY
Course Time: 11:00am-1:00pm
Dan Grading: 1:30pm onward
This course is open to all and costs £12.00 per person or £10.00 each for two or more in the same household. It is a two hour training session with the Senior Instructors and we will stamp your license for attending this event. Lower grades are more than welcome to attend this event, we would be delighted to see you!
We have 26 candidates for Shodan, Nidan, Sandan and Yondan, all have put in many years of blood, sweat and tears into their training. We are looking forward to seeing you show off your skills on the day.
Paul Towler from Kick and Flick Photography is attending the course and will be taking photographs. You will be able to view and purchase these for a small fee after the event. If you/your child does not wish to appear on any photos please let us know at the start of the session.
No need to book in advance, just turn up and pay on the day. The doors will open from 10:30am.
Friends, club mates and family members who wish to stay and watch the Dan grading are very welcome to do so.
*RTK Squad News*
Well done to those who entered the Manchester Youth Open last Sunday. Gaining experience is a crucial part of your development and you all represented our Club brilliantly. We are proud of each and every one of you brave enough to test yourselves at this high level competition.
Thanks to Sam Jackson Sensei who coached all of our competitors on the day and to our Squad admin Julie M who as always keeps us organised. We appreciate it.
Good luck to Jaime Pratley Sensei who will be travelling to Venice, Italy with his Yanagi Kai teammates and competing in the WKF K1 Youth League and Venice Cup next weekend. Jaime Sensei will be competing with the very best Kata athletes in the WKF. He is in in good form, fresh off winning a Gold Medal in Under 21's Male Kata at the recent Central England International Open. We'll be keeping our fingers crossed for you and we hope you have a great experience.
The next South Manchester Squad Class will take place on Saturday 6th December from 10:00-11:30am at Handforth Scout Hut, Old Rd, Handforth with Paul Sensei and Rob Sensei & our regular Squad Class continues every Monday evening at Thornleigh Salesian College, Sharples Park, Bolton from 7:00-8:00pm with Sam Sensei and Jaime Sensei. If you want to really kick your kata and kumite onto the next level, these are the classes to be a part of.
Red Tiger Karate has recently joined forces with the English Karate National Governing Body (EKNGB) so that we can continue to offer these fantastic opportunities to our aspiring athletes at regional, national and international levels. We look forward to helping build a brighter future for English athletes!
*Final Cadet Leader & Assistant Instructor Class of 2025*
When: Sunday 7th December
Venue: Thornleigh Salesian College, Sharples Park, Bolton. BL1 6PQ.
Time: 11:00am-12:00pm
We will be rewarding all of our Cadet Leaders and Assistant Instructors with medals at this event to thank them for all their help and hard work throughout 2025. If you are a new Cadet Leader/Assistant you may still attend this event. If you are interested in helping out in our classes or need a volunteering opportunity for your Duke of Edinburgh Award, speak to your Sensei and keep a look out for our Selections Class in the New Year. The calendar will be updated very soon.
All Cadet Leader and Assistant Instructor classes will be staying FREE OF CHARGE throughout 2026. This extra training is our thank you for all of your efforts week in, week out. We appreciate everything you do. Our Cadet Leader and Assistant programme has been running for over 16 years and has created some outstanding Instructors. Some have gone right through the system from childhood including Callum Sensei, Sam Sensei, Jaime Sensei and more recently Louis Johnson Sensei. We are still going strong and the future is in great hands!
*Student of the Year Awards 2025*
Nominations have been going out in classes over the last couple of weeks for our Student of the Year Awards. If you have been lucky enough to receive an invite please remember you have until this Sunday 30th November to confirm your attendance with your Sensei. Congratulations to everyone who has been chosen and we cannot wait to celebrate your success on Saturday 13th December. Paul Towler from Kick and Flick Photography will once again be covering this event so you will have the chance to gets some amazing action shots and remember to speak to us if you don't want photos.
*Online Shop Orders & Last Delivery Dates*
Our online shop has been extremely busy over the last few weeks, but you still have time to order your karate mad loved one a gift this Christmas. We have a wide variety of Uniforms from beginners gi's and family bundles to top brand WKF approved kits. We have mitts, pads, bags, club jackets, belt racks plus much more. You can collect any order from classes and avoid delivery charges. The last date for ordering to collect at class is: Sunday 14th December. The last date for delivery orders is: Wednesday 17th December. Have a look through our online shop by clicking this link:
LINK: https://www.redtigerkarateclub.co.uk/shop-home
To remove delivery charges click - 'more payment options' when you are checking out. You'll then need to create an account or sign in and then select 'collect at class'.
*Upcoming Events - 2026*
Let's make a strong start to 2026. We'll be kickstarting your training by including fitness and strength challenges throughout January. Those extra Christmas lbs will be shifted in no time!
You'll also have the chance to win 1 months free training by entering our social media competition.
We expect to have the usual influx of new year beginners, so make sure you get your classes booked well in advance.
We will be expanding into new areas and opening more new classes as we continue to build our Club, class by class. If you know anyone who wants to get involved in karate, you can help us by sending our link: Book your first class
Chris Paxton Sensei will be leading a coach to 5k programme that anyone can get involved in - free of charge. Students, friends and family members can all have a go.
SAVE THE DATES: The RTK Club Championships has been booked in for Saturday 28th March with the next Dan Grading taking place on Sunday 14th June. We also in talks to bring over our favourite WKF Champion Shinji Nagaki Sensei. Dates to be confirmed.
Now for the best news....................
The Ultimate Training Weekend is Back!
DATES: Friday 5th, Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th June 2026
We have only FOUR places left! Thank you so much to everyone who has booked onto this. It is OFFICIALLY HAPPENING and is always one our favourite events of the year. We get together, train hard, have fun and make the best memories with all your karate mates. All the family can come along and we can get to know one another.
We have secured amazing prices for the accommodation as we have booked so far in advance, so it's a great value mini-holiday for us all to look forward to. And this time it is happening in the Summer. So fingers crossed the weather will be glorious and we can finally organise some beach training. There are beginners right up to black belts booked on so far and we have invited some TOP UK Instructors to come along and teach you.
We stay at one of Haven's flagship Parks - HAF' NY' MOR and we always have the best time. It's not too late to get involved. If you have your own accommodation or a tourer and just want to book on for the training, that's fine too.
For more information click here:
LINK: https://www.redtigerkarateclub.co.uk/events/ultimate-training-weekend
Last Classes of the Year & Re-opening dates
Training continues as normal right up until we close for the Christmas break. We know this can be a busy time of year with nativities, Christmas parties etc. but please try and keep your training up. If you need to miss your usual class, you are welcome to train at any of your other local dojos, we have over 60 classes running every weeknight and Saturday mornings. These are the perks of being part of such a huge club!
The last classes will take place on Saturday 20th December and the Club will re-open on Monday 5th January 2026.
Happy Training everyone!
Oss!