IAN GODFREY
Ian has studied and practiced martial arts for over 50 years, receiving his First Dan Black Belt in Shotokan Karate from renowned traditional Karate Master Hirokazu Kanazawa in 1983. “Kanazawa Sensei believed that everyone who studied Karate should also learn and practice T'ai Chi Ch'uan to achieve balance between hard and soft action.”
Ian taught Yang style T'ai Chi in Hertfordshire through the 90's and in North Devon since 2000 where he later met Andrew Coles, Founder/Teacher at Earth and Ocean Martial Arts who introduced him to Cheng Bagua Zhang. Ian now supports one of EOMA's Kick-boxing and Mixed Martial Arts clubs for Juniors and Seniors as a Black Belt Examiner. Taking every opportunity to train with other teachers, Ian is also grateful to Master Wang Zhi Xiang of the International Wang Academy and Dario Gerchi – Qigong (Hua Gong) for further extending his knowledge and skills. For many years, Ian has taught weekly T'ai Chi and Chi Kung classes for health and wellbeing to seniors (some into their 90's) in North Devon, as a volunteer through a local Ageing Well project. He has also run classes within a local hospital for physiotherapy staff and is regularly invited to give demonstrations and introductory talks and participate in events for local charities and groups.
In 2018 Ian was fortunate to train with Grand Master Marilyn Cooper in Paris and support her in delivering the Peace Games to around 150 primary aged school children.
Aside from Martial Arts...
Ian is a father, grandfather and long-standing Environmental and Human Rights Activist. A member of Greenpeace since it's early days, he was Regional Organiser in Hertfordshire and once stood as a Green Party candidate in a local election in North Devon.
Whilst a Retail Executive in London, Ian was involved with Health Aid UK, taking medical supplies and other aid to a hospital and orphanage in Romania for children with HIV and Aids. In the last of his three visits, Ian drove a minibus, part of a 25 vehicle convoy – at that time, the biggest peace-time International Aid convoy to travel through Europe since WW2. Since the 80's Ian has studied Shamanism with many Native American Elders and the late Ken Meadows - completing a number of Vision Quests in the UK and New Mexico. Also having studied for many years with a Tibetan Bön Lama, Lama Khemsar, Ian brought him to North Devon where he gave teachings and met with local schoolchildren.
In 1998, Ian met his partner Rosie on an Aid Trek for Tibetan Refugees living in Nepal. From 2000 – 2007 Ian ran Health and Harmony Festivals four times a year - with free workshops, music from local bands and talks from national environmental and human rights activists. As Entertainments Manager with Lightquest events, Ian and the team brought over 20,000 visitors to his local village and vital funds for local charities.
Workshops sharing Neo-traditional songs and chants from around the world, enable Ian and Rosie to continue supporting Tibetan refugees living in Nepal. In 2008, they were fortunate to meet with HH Dalai Lama courtesy of Tibetan friends, later that year moving to a smallholding; creating native woodland, a forest garden, allotment and sanctuary for two and four-leggeds. Ian has since set up a permaculture gardening project complete with small woodland within a local primary school - sharing skills and respect for the planet with the children. Ian pursues his environmental activism as a volunteer and trained energy advisor for 361 Energy - a local community interest charity helping people living in energy poverty and promoting sustainable energy for community use. Through a local homelessness charity, he is project-managing the conversion of a double-decker bus to provide respite accommodation, food and support for rough sleepers alongside a sister project providing Survival Bags for those in need.
“The Peace Games are the perfect way to combine our care for each other with teaching the power of co-operation, not competition, as the way to creating a more peaceful world for all our children.”
Ian taught Yang style T'ai Chi in Hertfordshire through the 90's and in North Devon since 2000 where he later met Andrew Coles, Founder/Teacher at Earth and Ocean Martial Arts who introduced him to Cheng Bagua Zhang. Ian now supports one of EOMA's Kick-boxing and Mixed Martial Arts clubs for Juniors and Seniors as a Black Belt Examiner. Taking every opportunity to train with other teachers, Ian is also grateful to Master Wang Zhi Xiang of the International Wang Academy and Dario Gerchi – Qigong (Hua Gong) for further extending his knowledge and skills. For many years, Ian has taught weekly T'ai Chi and Chi Kung classes for health and wellbeing to seniors (some into their 90's) in North Devon, as a volunteer through a local Ageing Well project. He has also run classes within a local hospital for physiotherapy staff and is regularly invited to give demonstrations and introductory talks and participate in events for local charities and groups.
In 2018 Ian was fortunate to train with Grand Master Marilyn Cooper in Paris and support her in delivering the Peace Games to around 150 primary aged school children.
Aside from Martial Arts...
Ian is a father, grandfather and long-standing Environmental and Human Rights Activist. A member of Greenpeace since it's early days, he was Regional Organiser in Hertfordshire and once stood as a Green Party candidate in a local election in North Devon.
Whilst a Retail Executive in London, Ian was involved with Health Aid UK, taking medical supplies and other aid to a hospital and orphanage in Romania for children with HIV and Aids. In the last of his three visits, Ian drove a minibus, part of a 25 vehicle convoy – at that time, the biggest peace-time International Aid convoy to travel through Europe since WW2. Since the 80's Ian has studied Shamanism with many Native American Elders and the late Ken Meadows - completing a number of Vision Quests in the UK and New Mexico. Also having studied for many years with a Tibetan Bön Lama, Lama Khemsar, Ian brought him to North Devon where he gave teachings and met with local schoolchildren.
In 1998, Ian met his partner Rosie on an Aid Trek for Tibetan Refugees living in Nepal. From 2000 – 2007 Ian ran Health and Harmony Festivals four times a year - with free workshops, music from local bands and talks from national environmental and human rights activists. As Entertainments Manager with Lightquest events, Ian and the team brought over 20,000 visitors to his local village and vital funds for local charities.
Workshops sharing Neo-traditional songs and chants from around the world, enable Ian and Rosie to continue supporting Tibetan refugees living in Nepal. In 2008, they were fortunate to meet with HH Dalai Lama courtesy of Tibetan friends, later that year moving to a smallholding; creating native woodland, a forest garden, allotment and sanctuary for two and four-leggeds. Ian has since set up a permaculture gardening project complete with small woodland within a local primary school - sharing skills and respect for the planet with the children. Ian pursues his environmental activism as a volunteer and trained energy advisor for 361 Energy - a local community interest charity helping people living in energy poverty and promoting sustainable energy for community use. Through a local homelessness charity, he is project-managing the conversion of a double-decker bus to provide respite accommodation, food and support for rough sleepers alongside a sister project providing Survival Bags for those in need.
“The Peace Games are the perfect way to combine our care for each other with teaching the power of co-operation, not competition, as the way to creating a more peaceful world for all our children.”