Arena Karate’s Drill & Grill 2026 brought together our students, parents and instructors for a packed day of martial arts training, challenges, food and plenty of fun.

The day gave our students the opportunity to experience a variety of different disciplines, including Karate, Jujitsu, Kickboxing, Weapons and Fight Training, with a fantastic line-up of instructors sharing their knowledge, experience and skills.

Our instructors included:

Lenny (8th Dan), Jan (7th Dan), Kyle (6th Dan), Sean (6th Dan), Martyn (6th Dan), Stef (5th Dan), Andy (3rd Dan), Stuart (3rd Dan) and Ben (2nd Dan).

It was a fantastic opportunity for our students to train with different instructors, try something new and challenge themselves outside of their usual training.

☀️ And the weather couldn’t have been better!

With the sun shining, the training was in full swing and the BBQ waiting at the end, it was the perfect day for our Drill & Grill.

🏆 Student of the Course

A special congratulations goes to Sabian, who was awarded Student of the Course at the end of the day.

A fantastic achievement and thoroughly deserved! 👏

🎟️ Supporting Our Team GB Athletes

Drill & Grill also helped us continue our fundraising efforts for our students representing Team GB.

Thanks to everyone who supported our raffle, we raised an amazing £226! 🎟️👏

The money raised will go towards supporting our Team GB students/athletes competing at the WTKA European Championships in Barnsley and the WTKA World Championships in Italy. 🇬🇧🥋🇮🇹

❤️ Thank You

A huge thank you to all of our instructors, students and parents who came along and helped make Drill & Grill 2026 such a fantastic day.

Events like this don't happen without the people who give their time, get involved and make the effort to be there. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make the day what it was.

Drill & Grill 2026 was one to remember! 🔥🥋

Check out some of the highlights from the day below.

14/08/2026 - Battle of the Brains QUIZ NIGHT Raises £428 for Team GB

Our Team GB 2026 fundraising continued on Friday 14 August with a fantastic evening of quizzing, laughter and fundraising at our Battle of the Brains quiz night in Hadleigh.

The evening brought together friends, families, supporters and quiz teams for a fun-filled night, all helping to support our athletes as they prepare to represent Team GB at the WTKA World Championships in Carrara, Italy, this October.

We are delighted to announce that the evening raised an incredible £428 towards the athletes' journey to Italy.

A huge thank you must go to Davo, Sophie, Claire and Lloyd, who put the evening together and worked hard behind the scenes to make it such a success. Events like this take a lot of organising, and we are incredibly grateful for the time and effort they put into making the night happen.

We would also like to thank the Royal British Legion in Hadleigh for hosting us and for generously donating raffle prizes. Having such a great local venue and the support of the Legion made a real difference to the evening.

We are also extremely grateful to the local businesses who donated raffle and quiz prizes:

• Yarn Worx
• Fergusons
• The Mix
• Co-op Hadleigh
• The Men's Room
• Cobblers
• Hairloom
• Huffers
• Travelstop
• Frankie's of Hadleigh
• Pierce Tek

Your generosity helped make the evening even more enjoyable for everyone who attended, while also helping us raise much-needed funds for our athletes.

And, of course, none of this would be possible without everyone who came along, entered a quiz team, bought raffle tickets, donated and supported the event. Thank you for getting behind our athletes and helping them get one step closer to Italy.

Every pound raised is helping our squad prepare for the WTKA World Championships and the opportunity to represent Team GB on the world stage.

Thank you to everyone who played a part in making Battle of the Brains such a success. We couldn't do it without you!

13/08/2026 - Coggeshall Carnival – Team GB Fundraising Stall 🎪

Our Road to Italy 2026 fundraising campaign is heading to Coggeshall Carnival, and we’re taking our fundraising stall along with us!

Although we’re not running the carnival itself, we’ll be there throughout the day with plenty going on at our stall, giving carnival-goers the chance to have some fun while helping support our Team GB athletes as they prepare to represent Great Britain at the WTKA World Championships in Carrara, Italy, this October.

There will be plenty to get involved with, including an Arena Karate demonstration, Slam Man competition, tombola and Spin the Wheel, as well as our BIG fundraising raffle featuring a fantastic selection of prizes generously donated by local businesses.

Whether you fancy testing your skills on the Slam Man, trying your luck on the tombola or Spin the Wheel, or picking up some raffle tickets, there’ll be plenty of opportunities to get involved!

Every ticket, game and donation helps us get our athletes one step closer to Italy and supports the ongoing costs of getting them to the World Championships.

So if you’re heading to Coggeshall Carnival, make sure you come and find us, say hello and see what you can win! 🎟️🎁

We’re looking forward to seeing plenty of familiar faces and hopefully some new ones too.

Come and support our squad on their Road to Italy 2026! 🥋🇬🇧🇮🇹

12/08/2026 - £500 Funding Award from the Jeremy Willson Charitable Trust

We’re delighted to announce another boost to our Road to Italy 2026 fundraising, with the Jeremy Willson Charitable Trust awarding £500 towards our Team GB squad.

The Jeremy Willson Charitable Trust supports young people and projects reflecting Jeremy’s passions, including sport, adventure, geology and the environment, and has supported young athletes and adventurous expeditions over the years.

With our athletes preparing to represent Team GB at the WTKA World Championships in Carrara, Italy, this funding will make a valuable contribution towards the cost of getting our young athletes to the competition.

The award has now been formally confirmed, with the required paperwork signed and returned, and we are awaiting payment.

A huge thank you to the Jeremy Willson Charitable Trust for supporting our young athletes and helping them on their journey to Italy. 🇬🇧🇮🇹🥋

Want to find out more about the Jeremy Willson Charitable Trust and its work?
Find out more about the Trust and its grants here.

03/08/2026 - Too Hot To Handle! Arena Takes On EKKA Summer Camp 2026

The EKKA Summer Camp took place from 31st July to 2nd August 2026 at the Whitton Sports and Community Centre in Ipswich.

It was an extremely hot weekend, but that didn’t stop our Arena students from working hard, getting stuck into the training and, of course, having plenty of fun along the way!

Super Teams

Arena entered two teams into the Super Teams competition this year.

Arena’s “Original Gangsters”

Mal, Lloyd, Ben, Oliver, Esmee, Lacie-Mae, Aiden and Lily

And what a team they were!

The Original Gangsters won Super Teams for the second year running! 🏆

A fantastic achievement and a brilliant way to show just how much hard work and determination our students put into the weekend.

There was also a memorable moment during the relay when Mal produced an amazing sliding stop. Unfortunately, when he stood up, his leg looked like it had got into a fight with a cheese grater! 😂

We’re pleased to report that Mal survived and the team carried on!

Arena’s “New Blood”

Keith, Matt, Bryony, Leo, Maisie, Mabel, Archie and Ida

Our New Blood team also gave it everything and represented Arena brilliantly. With a mixture of experience and some of our newer students, it was fantastic to see them getting involved, supporting each other and throwing themselves into the competition.

Belts of the Course

A huge well done to the Arena students who were awarded Belt of the Course during the camp:

🏅 Maisie – White Belt of the Course
🏅 Mabel – Red Belt of the Course
🏅 Bryony – Yellow Belt of the Course
🏅 Ida – Yellow Orange Belt of the Course
🏅 Aiden – Orange Green Belt of the Course
🏅 Lily – Green Belt of the Course

These awards recognise students who demonstrated great effort, attitude and commitment throughout the course, so it was fantastic to see six Arena students receiving awards.

Hard Work, Laughs and Plenty of Fun

The weekend was certainly not all about competition. Everyone trained hard, and we had lots of laughs, some tantrums 👀 (you know who you are), but plenty of fun!

That’s what makes the EKKA Summer Camp such a great experience. It’s an opportunity for our students to train together, challenge themselves, spend time with friends and make memories outside of their normal classes.

A huge well done to every Arena student who attended. You worked incredibly hard in some seriously hot conditions and represented the club brilliantly.

And, of course, congratulations to our Original Gangsters on making it two Super Teams wins in a row! 🏆🥋

Well done, Arena!

20/07/2026 - Battle of the Brains – Team GB Fundraising Quiz Night 🧠

Our Road to Italy 2026 fundraising campaign took another exciting step forward with the announcement of our first official fundraising event!

Battle of the Brains – Team GB Fundraising Quiz Night will take place on Friday 14th August 2026 at the Royal British Legion in Hadleigh.

With teams of up to six people, the evening promises plenty of questions, a bit of friendly competition and lots of fun, all while helping raise vital funds to support our Team GB athletes on their journey to the WTKA World Championships in Carrara, Italy.

This is the first of several fundraising activities planned as we work towards getting our athletes to Italy, and we're looking forward to bringing family, friends and supporters together for a great night.

Let the battle commence! 🧠🥋🇬🇧🇮🇹

16/07/2026 - Priti Patel MP Visits Arena Karate to Support Team GB Squad

Arena Karate was delighted to welcome Priti Patel MP to our Coggeshall dojo on Thursday 16 July, where she met members of our Team GB squad and learned more about their journey to the 2026 WTKA World Championships in Carrara, Italy.

During her visit, Priti met four of our Team GB athletes – Lloyd, Ben, Lacie and Aiden – who proudly shared their experiences of training, competing and preparing to represent Great Britain on the international stage. She also spent time watching the evening's training session, meeting the rest of the students and learning more about Arena Karate and the opportunities the club provides for children and adults alike.

The visit provided an opportunity to discuss the dedication and commitment required to compete at an international level, as well as the significant costs involved in representing Great Britain. As a self-funded squad, our athletes are working hard both on and off the mats to raise the funds needed to make their journey to Italy possible.

We are incredibly grateful that Priti Patel generously donated £200 towards our Team GB fundraising campaign. Her support will make a real difference as our athletes continue their preparations for the World Championships.

We are also delighted that Priti will be issuing a press release following her visit, helping to raise awareness of our Team GB squad, their achievements and the fundraising campaign supporting their Road to Italy 2026.

On behalf of everyone at Arena Karate, we would like to thank Priti for taking the time to visit us, for her generous contribution and for recognising the hard work and dedication of our athletes. We greatly appreciate her support and look forward to sharing more updates as our Team GB squad continues its journey towards the WTKA World Championships.

If you would like to support our Team GB squad, please visit our Team GB 2026 page to find out more about our journey, fundraising events and sponsorship opportunities.

13/07/2026 - Mayor of Hadleigh Visits Arena Karate to Meet Team GB Squad

Arena Karate was delighted to welcome the Mayor of Hadleigh, Councillor Zunaid Saiyed, to the dojo on Monday evening, where he spent time watching both of our training sessions and meeting members of our Team GB squad.

The visit gave the Mayor the opportunity to see first-hand the dedication and commitment shown by our students, from those taking their first steps in karate to our international athletes preparing to represent Great Britain at the 2026 WTKA World Championships in Carrara, Italy.

During the evening, the Mayor met several members of our Team GB squad and learned more about their journey to international competition. He also heard about the fundraising efforts currently underway to help the athletes meet the costs of representing Great Britain on the world stage.

Everyone at Arena Karate was proud to showcase the hard work, discipline and community spirit that make our club so special. We are incredibly grateful to the Mayor for taking the time to visit, support our athletes and recognise the achievements of our Team GB squad.

With the Road to Italy 2026 well underway, our athletes continue to train hard while raising funds to help make this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity possible. We look forward to sharing more updates as they continue their journey towards the WTKA World Championships.

Thank you, Councillor Zunaid Sailed, for your visit and your encouragement. Your support means a great deal to our athletes, their families and everyone at Arena Karate.

If you would like to support our Team GB squad, please visit our Team GB 2026 page to find out more about our journey, fundraising events and sponsorship opportunities.

05/07/2026 - Arena Karate Enjoys Another Successful Day at the Thurrock Invitational

Fresh from the excitement of our Team GB selections, Arena Karate was back in action at the Thurrock Invitational, producing another fantastic set of results.

Results:

🥇 Gold

Lacie-Mae – Kick Master
Mal – Kumite

🥈 Silver

Oliver – Kick Master
Lily – Kick Master
Elijah – Kick Master
Lacie-Mae – Kumite
Aiden – Kumite
Ben – Kumite

🥉 Bronze

Oliver – Kumite
Esmee – Kick Master
Aiden – Kick Master
Leo – Kumite

A special mention also goes to Lloyd and Shanique, who also competeted today. While they both narrowly missed out on a medal this time, they performed with determination and represented Arena Karate brilliantly throughout the day.

Congratulations to all of our competitors. Every competition provides an opportunity to learn, develop and gain valuable experience, and we're incredibly proud of the effort, sportsmanship and commitment shown by the entire team.

Well done to everyone involved, and thank you to the organisers, officials and supporters for another fantastic competition.

04/07/2026 - Seven Arena Karate Athletes Selected to Represent Great Britain

Arena Karate is incredibly proud to announce that seven of our athletes have been officially selected to represent Great Britain at both the WTKA European Championships and the WTKA Unified World Championships later this year.

Congratulations to:

🥋 Aiden
🥋 Ben
🥋 Esmee
🥋 Lacie-Mae
🥋 Lily
🥋 Lloyd
🥋 Oliver

Selection to represent Great Britain is a tremendous achievement and reflects the dedication, commitment and perseverance each athlete has shown throughout their training and competition journey.

The WTKA European Championships will take place in Barnsley this October, followed by the WTKA Unified World Championships in Carrara, Italy, where our athletes will proudly wear the GB badge on the international stage.

Everyone at Arena Karate is immensely proud of what these students have achieved. Their selection is a testament to the countless hours of training, determination and resilience they have demonstrated both inside and outside the dojo.

This is a proud moment not only for the athletes and their families, but for the entire Arena Karate community. We wish each of them every success as they continue their preparations for what promises to be an unforgettable experience representing Great Britain.

Congratulations once again to all seven athletes! We are proud to stand behind you as you begin your Team GB journey. 🇬🇧

28/06/2026 - Little Dragons Coming to Arena Karate This September!

Arena Karate is delighted to announce the launch of Little Dragons, an exciting new class designed especially for children aged 3 years and over.

Starting on Monday 8th September 2026, Little Dragons will provide younger children with a fun, engaging and supportive introduction to martial arts. Through exciting games, movement and beginner karate techniques, children will develop confidence, coordination, balance, respect and listening skills, all while making new friends and having lots of fun.

CLASS DETAILS

📅 Starts: Monday 8th September 2026
🕡 Time: Every Monday, 6:15pm – 6:45pm
📍 Venue: The Ansell Centre, Hadleigh

One of the unique features of our Little Dragons programme is that it will be led by Arena Karate's Junior Leaders, Lacie and Oliver, under the guidance of Head Instructor Stefanie Barnes (5th Dan) and the Arena Karate coaching team.

Our aim is to create a positive, encouraging environment where children can build confidence, develop new skills and take their very first steps on an exciting martial arts journey.

To ensure every Little Dragon receives the very best start, class sizes will be kept intentionally small. This allows our coaching team to give each child the individual encouragement and support they deserve.

We recommend registering your interest as early as possible. Once the class reaches capacity, all new enquiries will be added to our priority waiting list.

Click here to register your interest.

NEED MORE INFORMATION?

If you have any questions or would like to find out more about Little Dragons, we'd love to hear from you.

🥋 Head Instructor: Stefanie Barnes, 5th Dan
📞 Telephone: 07742 380881
📧 Email: arenakarate1@gmail.com

We look forward to welcoming our very first Little Dragons on Monday 8th September and helping them begin an exciting journey with Arena Karate.

Every champion starts as a Little Dragon! 🐉🥋

28/06/2026 - Summer Grading 2026

Today saw a smaller than usual grading at Arena Karate, with students stepping onto the mats to demonstrate the hard work, dedication and perseverance they have shown in training.

Gradings are about far more than learning new techniques. They test attitude, discipline, spirit, determination and the ability to perform under pressure. Every student who took part should be incredibly proud of the commitment they showed in preparing for today's examination.

A huge congratulations to everyone who successfully achieved their next belt grade. Each new belt represents countless hours of training, determination and personal growth, and today was another important milestone on your karate journey.

A special thank you also goes to our instructors, assistants and families whose continued support helps our students achieve their goals.

We look forward to seeing everyone wearing their new belts in class and continuing to build on today's success. Remember, earning a new belt is not the end of the journey. It is the beginning of the next challenge.

Well done, everyone. Keep training hard and keep striving to be your best!

21/06/2026 - Arena Karate's Mabel Raises over £500 for Race for Life

Arena Karate Hadleigh is delighted to celebrate the fantastic achievement of one of our youngest students, Mabel Pearson, who recently completed the Race for Life 5K Mud Run.

Taking place on Sunday 21st June, the event challenged participants to tackle a muddy 5-kilometre course while raising money for Cancer Research UK. At just 7 years old, Mabel approached the challenge with determination and enthusiasm, successfully completing the course and raising over an impressive amount of £500 for the charity.

As if completing a 5K mud run wasn't enough, Mabel was back training with her fellow students at Arena Karate the very next day. Although understandably tired after her efforts, she still attended class on Monday evening and trained hard throughout the session, demonstrating the commitment and perseverance that we value so highly in karate.

Mabel's achievement both on and off the course is a wonderful example of the qualities we encourage in our students: courage, resilience, dedication and a willingness to challenge themselves.

Everyone at Arena Karate would like to congratulate Mabel on her success and thank all those who have supported her fundraising efforts.

Anyone wishing to support Mabel's fundraising can still make a donation via her Race for Life fundraising page:

https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/mabel-pearsons-race-for-life

Well done, Mabel – a truly inspiring achievement and one that the entire Arena Karate family is proud to celebrate.

14/06/2026 - Arena Karate Students Attend WTKA Squad Training and Selections 🇮🇹

On Sunday, eight Arena Karate students attended the WTKA Squad Training and Selection Day, an important step in the selection process for the WTKA World Championships, which will take place in Carrara, Italy, from 21st to 25th October 2026.

Representing Arena Karate were Lloyd, Ben, Honey, Lacie-Mae, Lily, Aiden, Oliver and Esmee.

Throughout the day, the students completed a range of assessments designed to evaluate both their technical ability and physical fitness. These included kata 🥋, kumite 👊, a bleep test 🏃, sit-ups, press-ups, 50 reverse punches in one minute, and 25 round kicks in 30 seconds. Athletes were assessed on their performance, fitness, discipline and overall readiness for international competition.

The selection day provided competitors with the opportunity to showcase the skills they have developed through their training and demonstrate their commitment to representing their country at the highest level. 🌍

All eight students approached the day with determination, focus and professionalism, representing Arena Karate with pride. Their willingness to challenge themselves and perform under pressure is a credit to both them and their families. 💪

A huge thank you also goes to the coaches, parents and supporters whose encouragement and dedication help make opportunities like this possible. 🙏

We now await the selection results and wish our students every success in their bid to earn a place on the team travelling to Italy this October. 🇮🇹🍀

No matter the outcome, we are incredibly proud of every student who stepped onto the tatami and gave their all. 🥋