Clubs/societies

SWAKELEYS EVENING TOWNSWOMEN'S GUILD

Members provided a variety of food for a party, at the meeting hall to celebrate the Guild's 52nd Birthday in March Raffle Prizes for all and a quiz to keep brains active, helped to ensure that a happy evening was enjoyed by all. The annual general meeting took place in April. Mrs Margo Holman, Secretary read a resume of events of the past year, and new president Mrs Peggy Hallett, received her chain of office.

A RIDING school which has been run by a family for generations is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Gould Green Riding School, based in Goulds Green, off Harlington Road, Hillingdon, is now being run by the third generation of the Jupp family.

CAGE fighting is undisputedly one of the fastest growing sports on the planet. A club in Cowley is now ready to take on the challenge of training the up and coming fighters with their new cage - the first one in the whole of Middlesex. Charlene Mitchell talks to instructor Ian Morgan ahead of the opening of the club this weekend.

WITH mixed martial artist (MMA ) Michael Bisping leading the way for UK fighters in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) many dream of following in his footsteps.

To help these dreams come true, two well accomplished fighters, Ian Morgan and Andy Jardine, have set up their own club, Ronin MMA, at Panthers Gym, in Packet Boat Lane, Cowley.

As well as teaching MMA, the club is also very keen to train men, women and children in whichever martial art they are interested in - and they even do boxing too.

Mr Morgan, who lives in Phelps Way, Hayes, has a long history of fighting in judo and kickboxing championships all over the world, and he has even tried his hand at jiu-jitsu.

The 38-year-old said: "We don't want people to think it's all about cage fighting and getting your face smashed in. We want them to know they can come here safely and learn a sport and if they want to go into the cage they can do but not until we get them to a level where we feel they are ready for it.

"Including myself we have got seven high level instructors who all have dan grades in various martial arts. We are also affiliated with the World Association of Kickboxing Organisations (WAKO), the British Judo Association and the Amateur Boxing Association. The other guys who do grappling have also got other affiliations.

"We cover all the main sports so people can learn to become the ultimate MMA fighter.

"MMA is only for the men because we don't want to promote women into that sport but if a woman really wanted to do it then we would."

Mr Morgan runs the club with his business partner Andy Jardine, from Hounslow, who has also been running a company called Extreme Brawl for 10 years.

Mr Morgan said: "He has trained a lot of our fighters himself and now all those guys have got somewhere to train.

"We have all come together to run this one club as a team. It's quite an exceptional room now.

"There's nowhere else like this in the area for people to go. We have got a proper training cage. It's 15ft wide and we will hopefully at some point go for the much bigger training cage, but you can't do everything in the first hit when you're doing something of this magnitude. We're just going to see how well it goes first.

"We have got quite a large following already and if it does go well, which we hope it will, we will look to expand it.

"At the moment we're going to be open five days a week and there will be some weekend sessions too."

The club will be open for men and women and children from the age of five to 16.

"We want to get kids into a well grounded sport where they are going to learn something and get enjoyment out of it," explains Mr Morgan.

"A lot of children go to clubs because their parents tell them to and then they get bored, but here they can move on to another sport once they get bored of what they're doing."

The club is holding an open day on Saturday (8) and Sunday (9) from 10am to 3pm and their website www.roninmma.co.uk should be up and running by September.

OLYMPIC gold medallist and arguably Hillingdon's most famous sportsman, Chris Finnegan, died in Hillingdon Hospital on Monday morning after a short illness. He was 64.

The Hayes Amateur Boxing Club member shot to world fame when he won the middleweight title at the 1968 Mexico Olympics and went on to enjoy a fine professional career, even challenging legendary American champion Bob Foster for the World Light-Heavyweight Championship in 1970.

After being counted out in the 14th round it was a performance described by Harry Carpenter as the greatest display he had ever witnessed by a British fighter in a world title fight.

Finnegan spent his early years in Uxbridge before moving to Iver and more recently to Ickenham.

His younger brother, Kevin, himself a former British and European Middleweight champion, sadly passed away only four months ago. He lived in Hillingdon at the time of his death.

Post your tributes to Chris below.

SHARPSHOOTING future Robin Hoods are being urged to join up the the newly launched Hillingdon Junior Archery Club.

The club, aimed at 10 to 17 year olds launches on April 19 and is running a six week 'introduction to archery' course.

The course will be held every Sunday from 11am to 2pm at Brunel University, and it costs just £25.

All children who complete the course will then have the chance to join the club on a permanent basis, with membership costing £20 for the year, plus £1 a week, and they will benefit from the expertise of fully qualified coaches.

Places are limited so early booking is advised and to book a place or for more info call Simeon on 07984 443335 or e-mail on simeon.keenan@blueyonder.co.uk

GIRLS aged five to nine are invited to take part in new coaching sessions at Hillingdon Athletics Stadium in Gatting Way, Uxbridge.

Middlesex County FA is setting up the project with the aim of providing a safe and fun environment for girls only, where they can learn the basics of movement, ball familiarity and decision making, with each session ending in a four-a-side game.

The sessions take place on the Astroturf pitch on Monday's, 5-6.30pm. Parents are encouraged to block book at a cost of £9 for six weeks but they can pay £1.50 each week.

See www.middlesexfa.com/Development/WomenAndGirls/ForthcomingEvents/ or call Sue Haynes on 020 8515 6909 for more information.

A GYM club which made a triumphant return to its original home is now ready to see its facilities and membership expand.

Judge Heath Gymnastics Club is back at Hayes Stadium Sports Centre, in Judge Heath Lane, Hayes after moving from Swakeleys School, Hillingdon, where it had spent the last nine years.

Since starting back at the Stadium in November there has been a steady flow of new gymnasts joining, however owner Brian Duley is looking for many more and for the first time is including boys.

In order to help youngsters find out if they would like to join, the gym is holding a number of free sessions this Sunday (25/1).

Each session will last for one hour and will cover all aspects of the club, which is hoping to increase its membership in time for 2010 when it moves to a purpose built site in Botwell Green.

Mr Duley and his team are especially keen to find young gymnasts for their new Thursday evening classes; however, older gymnasts will be welcome to come and try out for the existing Tuesday groups.

Posters and flyers have been sent to all the primary Schools in Hillingdon and the club will welcome requests from teachers who want to know more.

For more information, on the event (first session is at 1pm) and to book a place phone 07904358644 or email info@judgeheathgc.org

UXBRIDGE past and present will be the topic of discussion at Hillingdon Family History Society this month.

The meeting will take place next Thursday, November 20 at Hillingdon Baptist Church, Hercies Road, Hillingdon.

Anybody looking to find out more about their family tree should arrive in time for the start at 7.30pm where guest speaker Philip Sherwood will speak.

For more information visit www.hfhs.co.uk or call club secretary Patricia Reynolds on 01895 444442.

Social Buddies is a fun and friendly group that has been running since September 2007. Members are in the 30 to early 50s age range and live in Middlesex and surrounding areas.

They have a regular pub social on the first Thursday of every month at The Gate, Rickmansworth Road, Northwood, from 8.30pm. They also have many other events each month and recently these have included greyhound racing, Jack the Ripper London walk, pub meals, comedy nights, live music, theatre and charity events.

Members are free to submit events and to co-ordinate them or purely come along to planned events.

Membership is currently free.

The webpage is : http://activityexchange.com/SocialBuddiesMiddxArea/

So if you wish to improve your social life and make some new friends, please contact Su at socialbuddies@googlemail.com

ANYBODY who has always intended to branch out and disocver more about their family tree now has the perfect opportunity.

The Hillingdon Family History Society meet at 7.30pm on Thursday, October 16 at Hillingdon Park Baptist Church, Hercies Road, Hillingdon.

It is an open evening and all are welcome to the meeting which will take place in the Research Room at the church.

The Research Room will also be open from 10am to 1pm on Friday 17 and 24 October.

For more information contact Hillingdon Family History Society Secretary Patricia Reynolds on 01895 444442.