A DILAPIDATED building in Bromsgrove which was in need of some tender loving care has been brought back into community use.
The Old Chapel on Windsor Street has been derelict for more than a decade but now houses the family-run Legacy Martial Arts.
The academy was started in February 2020 but then had to close due to Covid. Then, when restrictions eased in July 2021, it was based at Lickey End Social Club and now it has moved full-time into the Old Chapel.
The organisation has been working with local schools, most recently St John’s CofE Middle School which it raised £1,300 for, and donated 100 presents at Christmas to Chadsgrove School.
Legacy Martial Arts teaches both children and adults from six years upwards, including some with learning difficulties and last weekend 103 children were graded and achieved their next belt.
Alex Williams, who founded Legacy Martial Arts with his wife Elaina, said: “As well as teaching martial arts and helping children, young people and adults of all ages stay fit and healthy, it is important for us to give back to the community.
“We have a lot of children come along to train to help with anxiety and mental health and we are endorsed by a chartered psychologist Dr G Lombard for the positive work we do.
“We see martial arts as a positive tool for personal development and the emphasis is more on that than the fighting.”
Link-ups with schools
Alex and Elaina also hold anti-bullying seminars and want to work with more schools in Bromsgrove which can bring their pupils down during the daytime for PE lessons and martial arts training.
Legacy Martial Arts focuses on teaching the positive life skills and black belt traits of the martial arts such as respect, confidence, discipline and self-control and currently caters for more than 220 students.
Dr Lombard said: “Forty years of research and practitioner work with young people across the UK has convinced me that structured and challenging exercise, taught by professionals with expertise in relevant and accredited areas, is an essential component of social and personal development.
“The Legacy Life Skills programme meets this criteria and I would endorse this programme in schools.”
On April 19, Bromsgrove MP Sir Sajid Javid, the Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate Bradley Thomas and the Bromsgrove District Council leader, Coun Karen May, visited Legacy to see the positive impact it has been having on the community.
Anyone who wants to find out more or schools interested in working with Legacy Martial Arts can visit legacymartialarts.co.uk or call the team on 07738 634763.
