The London 2012 Olympic Games are here. Check this page for any disruptions to UKKFF classes or services.

The 2012 Olympic Games are upon us. Because many of our clubs fall within areas which are affected by the Games, this is a brief update to reassure all members that our classes & services will continue as usual with little or no interruption. Follow the links for full details of each event, including all road closures & transport suggestions.

Monday 23rd July – Torch Relay passes through Merton & Wimbledon
No anticipated problems for any UKKFF club.

Tuesday 24th July – Torch Relay passes through Kingston-Upon-Thames & Richmond
No anticipated problems for any UKKFF club, although anyone having private lessons in New Malden on Tuesday morning should be aware that local roads around Hook, Surbiton & Kingston will have rolling closures in place while the torch passes.

Saturday 28th July – Olympic Road Cycling, Men’s Race
No anticipated problems for any UKKFF club. If you have private lessons booked on Saturday at the New Malden HQ, please come by train or plan your route to avoid the all-day road closures in & around Kingston-Upon-Thames.

Sunday 29th July – Olympic Road Cycling, Women’s Race
No anticipated problems for any UKKFF club. If you have private lessons booked on Sunday at the New Malden HQ, please come by train or plan your route to avoid the all-day road closures in & around Kingston-Upon-Thames.

Wednesday 1st August – Olympic Road Cycling Time Trials
No anticipated problems for any UKKFF club. If you have private lessons booked on Wednesday at the New Malden HQ, please come by train or plan your route to avoid the all-day road closures in & around the Hampton Court area.

All members should watch our Twitter Feed for up-to-the-minute information, and contact the HQ if you have any questions or concerns about service during the games.

As of 30th April 2012, the Royal Mail increased all it’s postal prices following a decision from Ofcom, the industry regulator. Full details of the new pricing structure can be found here on their website.

As a personal customer sending letters, you will have noticed the increase in the price of all stamps. A similar increase has been applied to all small-to-medium business such as the UKKFF too, which has resulted in all postal deliveries attracting a greater cost.

As the UKKFF operates a very successful online shop, this increase has naturally affected us too. As of 10th May 2012, we have amended all 1st Class Packet and 2nd Class Packet delivery prices to reflect the new Royal Mail costs to us. Due to the bulky nature of most of our stock, we rarely use the Letter or Large Letter price bands except for membership books.

This means that if you order merchandise for delivery via the postal service, you will now be charged a little bit more, however the same is true for ALL online suppliers. Please note that VAT is not charged on this type of postage, just on the merchandise items themselves, as before.

Besides postage, our online shop has always offered two other delivery methods:

1. Collect Order In Class: This attracts a flat £2.50 charge which is given to your instructor to cover their costs in collecting the item on your behalf, and bringing it to class for you.
2. Collect Order From UKKFF HQ: This is free, and always will be. If you’re visiting the HQ for a private lesson, or just in the area, why not arrange to collect your order and save on delivery costs?

As the primary purpose of our online shop was to provide UKKFF members with a fast, convenient way to pay for all their requirements, we advise members to check delivery prices on each order, and use the different delivery methods we offer to their best advantage.

Bruce Lee returns to the big screen in the Year of the Dragon!

2012 sees the worldwide release of I Am Bruce Lee. A feature-length documentary about one of the most iconic characters ever to grace the world of martial arts.

I Am Bruce Lee is a new feature-length documentary about the martial artist & actor Bruce Lee. He was born in the Year of the Dragon, his stage name was "Little Dragon," and his most famous film was "Enter the Dragon", so it’s only appropriate that his return to the big screen debuts as Chinese New Year begins: 2012 is the Year Of The Dragon.

I Am Bruce Lee tells the amazing story of one of the most iconic human beings ever to enter the public consciousness. Voted as one of the most important people of the 20th century in Time Magazine’s Time 100, as well as one of the Greatest Pop Culture Icons by People Magazine, Bruce Lee continues to be honored and remembered for his enduring legacy.

The documentary is produced by award-winning studio Network Entertainment, the producers of 2010’s Academy Award shortlisted documentary Facing Ali, and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Pete McCormack. Screenings will be taking place across the UK as of 24th April 2012, and a full list can be found on the official website at www.iambruceleemovie.com

Bruce Lee overcomes all in "Enter The Dragon"

I Am Bruce Lee is the first documentary to truly tell Bruce Lee’s story in his own words and actions, as well as through the eyes of a diverse cast of international stars from the worlds of film, television, music and sports.

The film’s original interviews feature a broad spectrum of worldwide stars, including UFC President Dana White who calls Lee the “Father of Mixed Martial Arts,” NBA superstar Kobe Bryant, boxing champions Manny Pacquiao and Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini, UFC stars Jon Jones, Cung Le, Stephan Bonnar and Gina Carano, actor and star of the hit show ‘Modern Family’ Ed O’Neill, Academy Award Nominated actor Mickey Rourke, the Black Eye Peas’ Taboo, Bruce Lee’s daughter Shannon Lee and his wife Linda Lee Cadwell, among many others.

The famous Escrima sticks scene in "Enter The Dragon"

I Am Bruce Lee presents a rich cinematic view of the life of Bruce Lee, and features the best of Bruce Lee’s groundbreaking martial arts action films, punctuated with an evocative score and rarely seen archival footage. Working with Bruce’s daughter Shannon Lee, the film features previously unseen home movies and interviews, classic photos and dynamic visuals and graphics. “My family and I are so proud of this film, which truly portrays the legacy of my father and his incredible story,” says executive producer Shannon Lee.

“Our goal was to bring Bruce Lee and his dynamic personality to life in a way never experienced before, and we were able to achieve this with amazing content and our dynamic cast. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will walk out of the theater inspired by the spirit of the remarkable Bruce Lee,” commented producer Derik Murray.

On 22nd April 2012, our member Tony Sweetman will be running the gruelling 26 mile, 385 yard course of the 2012 London Marathon.

UKKFF member Tony Sweetman getting ready for another training run, in preparation for his 2012 London Marathon attempt. Give the man some money!

Tony joined the UKKFF in January 2009, and has trained under the instruction of Andrew King at our Hinchley Wood school since then. At the time of writing he is studying the 10th Student Grade in the Federation Wing Tsun System.

Tony is running to raise funds for the Shooting Star Chase Charity, which is a children’s hospice service. It supports local families with a child or teenager not expected to reach their 19th birthday. They currently help over 500 families living in western London, Surrey and West Sussex.

You can sponsor Tony’s efforts direct via Virgin Money Giving. All donations will be quickly processed and passed to the charity. Virgin Money Giving is a not-for-profit organisation and will claim Gift Aid on the charity’s behalf where the donor is eligible.

We wish Tony all the best in his run, on behalf of all his friends, colleagues, and training partners at the UKKFF.

Toxic Bankers, a play penned by UKKFF member Andy Taylor, opens in London's West End on 7th March 2012.

Breaking news from the West End! UKKFF member Andy Taylor (who trains at our Wimbledon & Hinchley Wood venues) is known to many of you as an English teacher. However he is also an award-winning playwright, and his brand new comedy Toxic Bankers opens next week at the Leicester Square Theatre, London.

Toxic Bankers takes a satirical look at the secretive world of London’s super-rich hedge funds. What are these fund managers really up to? How are they coping with the credit crunch? And did the country’s money really vanish or is it holed up somewhere in cavernous Swiss bank vaults?

Go along and be entertained by this highly topical look at the mess the bankers have got us into. (Oh, and there’s a little love story thrown in too, just for good measure!)

The play opens on Wed 7th March at 7pm. Tickets for the opening two shows are just £10, so get them while you can, as once they’re gone they’re gone. For more details visit www.toxicbankers.com or search for ‘Toxic Bankers’ on Facebook to find exclusive behind-the-scenes rehearsal videos & photos.

Good luck Andy from all your colleagues & training partners at the UKKFF.