Membership always has benefits …

One of the things that has happened over the past few months is that there has been a bit of a drop off in the participation rate with our regular classes, and a few of you who are attending regularly are still to renew for the new year.

Just by way of a reminder, in order to be covered by insurance to train with us, you do need to ensure that you are financially up to date with your membership/insurance obligations.

This year, as a thank you to all the members who have renewed, you will be receiving a Club-branded metal water bottle featuring the amazing Sian Carlyon-designed Club mon (logo).

Core Membership is free for any currently enrolled USQ student (though you will need to pay for affiliation/insurance fees for specific disciplines as you participate in them), and we are one of the least expensive options around for ongoing class participation.

Tozando order about to be placed…

One of the distinct benefits of membership is that we are able to use the Club’s status to secure discounts on the purchase of martial arts related equipment.

We are about to place our first order for the year and today is the last chance you will have to get your list lodged with Sean and I, and to put your money in to the Club’s purchases account.

For those wanting to participate, the account to put your money into is:

Bun Bu Ryo Do – The USQ Martial Arts Club
BSB: 638-060
Account No: 15321398

Which is different from the usual account that we get you to put training fees etc into. If you have put your money in the wrong account, please let us know ASAP so that it can be fixed up ready for our purchase.

Equipment orders

We are wanting to put in an order with Tozando for the coming week, so if anyone has gear they wish to add to the list please let either Sean or myself know by Thursday.

While we no longer get a direct shipping benefit from a larger order, the percentage discount that we get on Tozando-branded items increases the larger the order is. Remember that you have to be a current financial member (or registered USQ Student member) to get in on the discounts!

AGM (take two)…

Unfortunately, there was too few of us available yesterday afternoon, even from the extended executive to be able to hold a quorate AGM. Therefore, we will be holding it after Jujutsu training on Saturday 23 April, with Zoom links for those not physically present.

We will be announcing a few new directions for the Club at the AGM, so please come along either in person or virtually to discuss where we intend to go over the next 12 months!

Please make sure that you have paid up your annual dues by this time, and any questions you have, please direct them to either Grant on myself.

Mr Toad's wild ride (COVID edition)

It will be nice to be able to return to training this week, after a significant portion of disruption had been heaped on a number of the Club’s seniors and instructors over the past three weeks. Trips away for family reasons, in support grading opportunities, recovering from illness, and attend to other commitments have certainly put a dent in the regular schedule, so many apologies particularly to new members who were affected by that.

For myself, I seem to have properly come out of my one week COVID isolation relatively intact, though feeling the effects of not having moved very much for the past six days. I’m back to work, and back in the dojo, from tomorrow, though I foresee needing to take things at just a slightly less hectic pace than usual until I get to find my rhythm back.

At this stage, all should be “normal” from tomorrow. Jujutsu, Systema and Iaido art all due back in the dojo and online, Thursday Tom Johnson is likely to Zoom in to provide some feedback on Jodo, and we are expecting some new folk for Kendo, and Saturday ought be a full compliment of classes at the usual times.

As always, make sure that your contact details are up to date, that you regularly check the Club’s social media channels and/or are a member of a chat channels, just in case things might change at short notice (here is hoping that this is not the case for this week).

And as always, I’ll look forward to seeing you in the dojo!

New Club year from Friday, April 1

Hopefully with the very disruptive few weeks that we have experienced at the Club (some planned, some not so much) we will be able to get some clear air and lay down some regular training schedules for the next few months.

One of the administrative calendar dates that is coming up is the beginning of the Club’s “year” on April 1. This means that all existing Club members will have to renew their membership in order to be considered “financial” members and hence covered by the Club’s insurances. The exception to this are members who have first joined the Club after January 1, who are already considered to have paid for the “2022–23” year.

There are some changes to the membership structure this year. First, if you are a current USQ student, your core membership (normally $20) is free! To activate this offer, you need to provide your USQ student number and your current contact details (residential address, e-mail that you most regularly check, mobile phone number).

Full time students at other institutions (including school) and current USQ Staff members will continue to pay $20. Again, some proof of current status such as a student card or staff ID will be required to access this discount.

All other people are considered to be “General Community), for whom the membership fee is $25.

As with previous years, to participate in various activities, you will still need to ensure that you have paid the relevant discipline fee, insurances (where applicable), and State/National membership fees.

Finally, everyone who joins this year will be receiving a Club branded metal water bottle as a thank you for your continued support of the Club and dedication to your training.

I am looking forward to everyone’s participation in what is shaping up to be a packed and exciting year ahead for the Club!

Notice of Annual General Meeting via Zoom. Sunday, 10 April 4pm

As part of the start of the new Club year, we are due to hold the Club Annual General Meeting on Sunday 10 April at 4 pm. As with the past few years, we will hold it via Zoom, which you can either use a computer link or dial in and participate by phone. The details for connecting to the meeting can be found below.

The AGM is a great opportunity to celebrate all the things the Club has achieved in the past 12 months, and to find out some of the plans for the year ahead. It would be great to see many of the ordinary (non-Executive) Club members participate, so that you can get an appreciation of the things that happen “behind the scenes” to make our training year possible.

In order to be able to participate at the AGM, you will need to have sorted out your financial membership of the Club, as laid out in the previous post. If you have any questions regarding membership status, please let either Grant (as Treasurer) or myself (as President) ASAP, and if you have any general questions regarding the meeting, please let Brady (as Secretary) know too.

---

BBRD Martial Arts Club is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: BBRD Saturday virtual dojo
Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime
Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84769271082?pwd=OU9RcUgzcVg1VVNyWlptK1NPbFgwUT09
Meeting ID: 847 6927 1082
Passcode: 271055

One tap mobile
+61861193900,,84769271082#,,,,*271055# Australia
+61871501149,,84769271082#,,,,*271055# Australia

Dial by your location
+61 8 6119 3900 Australia
+61 8 7150 1149 Australia
+61 2 8015 6011 Australia
+61 3 7018 2005 Australia
+61 7 3185 3730 Australia
Meeting ID: 847 6927 1082
Passcode: 271055
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdCJlmn14m

Training this week..

Apologies to our new kendoka and iaidoka.

This week of training will still be slightly disrupted due to the support required for the SE Queensland regional grading in Brisbane on Saturday. As a result, there will be no Kendo or Iaido on Saturday, and Brady will be directing traffic for Jujutsu that afternoon.

Tuesday and Thursday nights will be classes as usual. I hope to see everyone there!

Congratulations for all who participated at the NQ Regional grade

I’m back in Toowoomba after the weekend away in the heat and humidity of Townsville in support of the North Queensland regional gradings for Iaido and Kendo. It was great to see everyone’s enthusiasm and effort on both days in the face of the unrelenting weather.

Congratulations to all who graded successfully. As always, now the hard work begins to continue refining your practice to the next level.

Many thanks to Matt G, who hosted me over the weekend. It was wonderful to catch up and just spend the time with him and his family over the past few day. I really would like to come up and spend some more time soon!

Training for this week: Systema is back, I’m away this weekend, welcome for all new members!

I hope that everyone reading the BB has pulled through this last week in reasonable shape. I know that for some of you, there has has both damage and disruption due to the downpour and flooding. I just want to personally say that I hope things are relatively straight forward to put right, and that the Club community is always there to help out as it can, even if it is just a cup of tea, conversation and respite from the clean up.

This week we have a few things of note. First up, the plan is for the return of face-to-face Systema classes on Tuesday night. It will be wonderful to have the other half of the hall utilised and some familiar faces return to training.

Second, a big welcome to those that have joined classes over the past few weeks, coinciding with the start of the academic year at USQ. I hope that you get the most out of your experiences with us and we the continued pleasure of your company and commitment.

Third, just a reminder that I am off to Townsville this weekend, so will be handing over Saturday duties to the various seniors of the disciplines training that afternoon. It may even be possible to broadcast via Zoom from up north, so watch this space for details if we can make this happen.

Fourth, a selection of the new Club t-shirts should be arriving this week, so keep a look out for people wearing their new threads!

And finally just a reminder to keep an eye out on the weather and any announcements coming from the Club regarding changes to the training schedule. Stay out of flood waters, heed any weather warnings, keep in touch, and stay safe. While the weather bomb seems to be easing this week, its effects will still be around for a few days yet.

Take care everyone, and as always, I’ll look forward to seeing you in the dojo!