Here’s a news and events update from British Taekwondo.

Manchester 2023 World Taekwondo Grand Prix Final weekend

Earlier this month the UK and Manchester hosted the World Taekwondo Grand Prix Final.

The weekend was action packed, with the competition taking place at the Manchester Regional Arena.

We also held our Annual General Meeting, End of Year Awards, a Masters Reception, and a UK Kukkiwon Office High Dan National Promotion Test during the weekend.

We would like to say a big thank you to everyone involved in the weekend for making it such a success.

British Taekwondo is the World Taekwondo Member National Association (MNA) of the Year 2023

The World Taekwondo 2023 Gala Awards took place in Manchester on Sunday 3rd December following the conclusion of the Manchester 2023 World Taekwondo Grand Prix Final held in the city.

At the event the UK received the prestigious award of being the World Taekwondo Member National Association (MNA) of the Year.

British Taekwondo President Sarah Stevenson MBE and GB Taekwondo Chief Executive Officer Paul Buxton collected the award on behalf of the MNA.

World Taekwondo Grand Prix Explores Accessibility and Inclusion with Pioneering Partnership

The Manchester 2023 World Taekwondo Grand Prix Final and the national social care charity Community Integrated Care came together to change the lives of almost 50 local people who access care and support and inspire many more.

The charity joined forces with British Taekwondo to explore how this prestigious event could pioneer both greater accessibility and inclusion. Through delivering innovative social impact programmes, listening to the lived experiences of people who access care and support, and exploring how the event could be designed to promote greater independence and wellbeing, the partnership broke new ground.

At the heart of this relationship was the delivery of Community Integrated Care’s award-winning Inclusive Volunteering® Programme, which builds the skills, independence and confidence of people who access social care, through delivering innovative training, experiences, and vocational placements at major events.

British Taekwondo’s Annual Report 2022-2023

Ahead of our 2023 AGM we published our Annual Report.

This publication reports on some of the key activity in the last year, talks about our performance as an organisation against our strategic aims and our financial governance. It particularly celebrates the huge amount of activity by our volunteer led Technical Departments since the return after the Covid pandemic, including huge efforts by our athletes and officials. The document also sets out some priorities for the coming year.

A Report from the 2023 European Poomsae Championships in Innsbruck, Austria

A team of 47 athletes, coaches and support team members from 24 British Taekwondo clubs were represented at the Innsbruck 2023 European Poomsae Championships.

Great Britain at the 2023 European Under 21 Championships in Bucharest, Romania

The Great Britain team competed at the 2023 European Under 21 Championships in Bucharest, Romania between the 7th and 10th December.

Club Welfare Officer Survey 2024

British Taekwondo has a Club Welfare Officer Survey to complete.

This survey is designed to be completed by Club Welfare Officers at British Taekwondo clubs.

If you are a club owner / lead instructor at a British Taekwondo club that does not currently have a Welfare Officer we would still like to hear your views, so please do complete the questions in the survey too.

The survey will close on Friday 12th January 2024.

Please do share the details with your colleagues and anyone who you think it would be of interest to.

British Taekwondo and the Manchester United Foundation Feedback Report 2023

You can now read the British Taekwondo and the Manchester United Foundation Feedback Report for 2023.

Throughout the year, our Disability Officer, Annie Rogan, has been working hard with the Manchester United Foundation to provide Taekwondo sessions for two of their SEND schools in Manchester. They have had some excellent coaching from Jason Mayoh who has been able to adapt the sessions to suit the needs of the participants. Both schools wanted to provide their students with alternative physical activity opportunities and Taekwondo was the perfect sport for them to try.

This report outlines the programme which the two schools had the opportunity to be a part of, and the feedback from those involved. British Taekwondo thoroughly enjoyed working with the staff and students at the Manchester United Foundation and look forward to further developments together.

Coach Education

British Taekwondo is aspiring to become a world-leading National Governing Body over the next ten years. To achieve this aim, we require a top-quality Coach Education Pathway for our coaches.

You can find out more about our Assistant Coach Award and Level 2 Certificate in Coaching Taekwondo below.

2024 British Taekwondo Events Calendar

We are pleased to publish the sanctioned British Taekwondo events calendar for 2024 having been through an extensive policy development process and invitation to submit.

Please note: some events and dates are TBC.

Youth Development Camp – Manchester: Sunday 14th January 2024

The British Taekwondo Sport Performance Department will be holding a Youth Development Camp in Manchester on Sunday 14th January 2024.

All Classes British Taekwondo and Taekwondo Ireland Poomsae Referee Course: Sunday 21st January 2024

An All Classes British Taekwondo and Taekwondo Ireland Poomsae National Referee Course will be taking place in Craigavon on Sunday 21st January 2024.

Christmas & New Year Closure

The British Taekwondo office will be closed from the end of the day on Friday 22nd December 2023 and re-open on Tuesday 2nd January 2024.

Please note that Membership Services will be closed from Thursday 21st December 2023 and re-open on Wednesday 3rd January 2024.

British Taekwondo Member Stories

It’s excellent hearing stories about all the reasons why Taekwondo is the activity for British Taekwondo members and we’ve shared 60 stories this year.

Some of the recent stories include a report from the Phoenix Taekwondo 2023 Winter Dan GradingHarrogate KTA’s international Movement of Poomsae Seminar with Grand Master Ik Pil Kang, and a feature on Central Taekwondo Academy’s 30th anniversary.

If you’d like to share your Taekwondo story please do get in touch.

Please do share these news and event updates with your colleagues, members and peers.

We look forward to the start of the new year and wish everyone all the very best for 2024.

Thank you,

The British Taekwondo team