Priti Patel, Member of Parliament for Witham, visited Arena Karate in Coggeshall to meet seven athletes who have been selected to represent Great Britain at the WTKA European and World Championships and to make a personal donation to their fundraising campaign.
The seven athletes—Esmee, Oliver, Aiden, Lily, Lacie, Lloyd and Ben—will compete at the WTKA European Championships in Barnsley and the WTKA World Championships in Carrara, Italy, this October. Among those selected are Oliver, Ben and Aiden, who live in the Feering and Coggeshall area and train with Arena Karate in Coggeshall.
Arena Karate has been developing martial artists across Essex and Suffolk for more than 50 years, providing opportunities for people of all ages to build their confidence, discipline and sporting abilities. During the visit, Priti met the athletes, coaches, families and Club Administrator Steph Longmore and heard more about the commitment and hard work that led to the athletes being selected to represent Great Britain.
The athletes receive no government or national funding and rely on support from their families and donations to cover their travel, accommodation, competition entry fees and other expenses. Arena Karate is seeking to raise £10,500 to support the athletes and ensure that financial circumstances do not prevent them from competing internationally.
Following the visit, Priti Patel MP said:
“It was a pleasure to visit Arena Karate in Coggeshall and meet these seven outstanding athletes, who have earned the honour of representing Great Britain at the European and World Championships.
“Their selection is a tremendous achievement and reflects the years of commitment, discipline and hard work they have dedicated to their sport.
“Arena Karate has an excellent record of supporting athletes of all ages, and I would like to pay tribute to the coaches, families and everyone involved with the club for the encouragement and support they provide.
“The athletes receive no government or national funding and rely on family support and donations to cover their travel, accommodation and competition fees. I was pleased to make a personal donation to support their efforts, and I would encourage as many people as possible to support their fundraising campaign as they prepare to represent our country.
“We all wish them well with their training and at these important upcoming competitions.”
