MORE than 50 members of the Bad Ems Judo Club visited Droitwich Spa recently continuing the bond between the two twin towns and spent a week with their counterparts at the Droitwich Spa Judo Club, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary.
Following their time in Worcestershire, the contingent from the Rhineland-Palatinate in western Germany, took in some Commonwealth Games action in Glasgow.
Bad Ems has a population of just over 9,000 and is, like Droitwich, a spa town one of the oldest in Europe and this was the third time members of the town’s judo club had spent time at Droitwich Spa Judo Club.
Laura Skillern Secretary to Droitwich Spa Judo Kan, said: “We had a great time especially on August 3 when we had a day of training followed by a barbecue.
“We’ve not yet visited Bad Ems as a club but we hope to make our way over to their club in the near future.
“As it’s our 40th anniversary we are also calling on all former members as well as more recent members to get in touch as we want to organise a special launch event on September 20 to celebrate with events then going into 2015.”
The club runs classes on Thursdays and Fridays and is currently based at Westlands Community Hall and started as part of the County Council’s youth service in 1974, going independent in 1987.
“We have a dedicated staff team of coaches, instructors and other volunteers and are a non-profit organisation, which makes us affordable and all our members make the club feel like one big community, ” said head coach Thomas Ewins who has been part of the club for 30 years.
“Over the past 40 years we have had some great judoka’s walk in and out of ours doors, so here’s to the next 40.”
If you are a former member of the club and would like to be part of the 40th year celebrations get in touch with Tom on 01905796365 or via email at [email protected].