Renegades: Renegades go Kung Fu fighting

Renegades go Kung Fu fighting…

It’s not just Bruce Lee, Carl Douglas and the loveable Po who go Kung Fu fighting… the Renegades are now taking up the challenge.

Not just a brilliant defensive skill, Kung Fu also increases stamina, energy, balance and agility and teaches the children to learn focus and discipline.

“The members told us that they wanted to learn a martial art and so, because we are driven by giving the children what they tell us they want, I did some research and found that kung fu was the first and its origin was Chinese,” says Group Leader Gareth Miller. “It literally means ‘achievement through great effort’ and so it was a good lesson for the kids.”

Gareth was determined to find a genuinely Chinese Shifu, or master, and so met with Au Yeung Chi Chung in New Malden. Chi Chung, or Leo, is not only instructing Gareth how to teach the children but also will lead on a series of sessions. “The children are learning basic techniques of self defence and how to avoid confrontation, but it also teaches them how to calm themselves and get out of their own heads.”

Despite being laid low for several weeks by a nasty bout of Covid, Gareth and fellow Group Leader Damian Dixon have still managed to run a host of different things for the children – from carpentry and leatherworking sessions to a mad celebration of Shrove Tuesday with organised pancake tossing, a day trip to Brighton and of course the regular Sunday morning canoeing sessions. As we look forward to this very special summer, the Renegades are excited to announce that we have been awarded a new grant to finance the children putting on a roving, dramatic celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in June. Watch this space for more details… you won’t see anything else like it! “People often ask why we put so much effort into Renegades, but the kids bring their own level of energy with them. I can be exhausted from a day’s work and after 10 minutes with them it’s like I’ve had a full night’s sleep and a meal. They are a tonic and well worth the effort,” says Gareth.

The Renegades is a Registered Charity. Membership costs £10 a month. Please contact Gareth Miller on 07801 862550 or Damian Dixon on 07484 130189 for further information. Vanda Rumney

Photos: Renegades leatherworking session made a change from some of their more energetic outdoor pursuits