David Akroyd-Jones attended college in 1996 to study for a degree in Sport and Exercise Science with Psychology which he completed in 1998. He is an accredited Sport and Exercise Scientist with the British Association of Sport and Exercise working as an Exercise Therapist at Physability, specialising in exercise therapy and rehabilitation for individuals affected by paralysis. Recent additions to his qualifications include Phase IV Cardiac Rehabilitation Instructor: BACR, Sports Therapy and Remedial Massage ITEC, and Chartered Scientist with the Institute of Chartered Scientists.
David Akroyd-Jones began training in Wing Chun in 1983 and after several years of dedicated training, he was permitted to open a small class with Sifu Woodward.
In March 1993 Sifu Akroyd-Jones accompanied Sifu Steve Woodward to a Wing Chun seminar given by Grandmaster Ip Chun (eldest son of the late Grandmaster Ip Man) at a school run by the Grandmasters’ senior western student and representative, Sifu Shaun Rawcliffe
Like Sifu Woodward, Sifu Akroyd-Jones realised that his current instruction and training lacked understanding of the skills, knowledge and energy of Wing Chun. Since they had only ever wanted to learn traditional Wing Chun, both Sifu’s Akroyd-Jones and Woodward asked Sifu Shaun Rawcliffe if he would train them as private students. After 18 months of intensive training Sifu’s Akroyd-Jones and Woodward were at a standard where they were invited to teach for Sifu Rawcliffe and his Association.
Since 1996, Sifu’s Akroyd-Jones and Woodward have accompanied Sifu Rawcliffe on several training trips to Hong Kong with Master Ip Chun. In November 1999 they were both invited to demonstrate their skills with Sifu Rawcliffe during the 1st World Wing Chun Conference, in Hong Kong.
The strict criteria set by the Midlands Wing Chun Kuen ensured that authentic Wing Chun was taught traditionally. All applicants were vetted and only those who have proven their dedication, respect and genuine desire to learn were accepted. CWCK under Sifu Rawcliffes’ organisation offered traditional Wing Chun to students in Gloucestershire. This is now continued through The Wing Chun Collective.
“The holistic nature of the Chinese approach and the attention to use of energy, structure and technique in movement has been the inspiration to develop further skills and greater understanding of human performance”- Sifu David Akroyd-Jones
