One of the highlights of 2022 was the arrival of our new tatami in the summer.  Some of our previous mats had been bought more than 15 years ago, and were showing their age with the accumulation of general wear and tear.  Thanks to the very generous donation of active and long-standing member, Azamat Kumykov (CUJC Half-Blue, Clare 2018), we now have 102 brand new mats!

It was a team effort to carry all the old mats out of the centre, load them into a van and deliver them to temporary storage.  Our new mats were provided by Fighting Films, and despite a few logistical problems with delivery, arrived safe and sound at the University Sports Centre. 

We’d like to say a big “thank you” to the Sports Centre staff who helped us with unloading them at very short notice!  Our old mats, although no longer ideal for use within the club, still had plenty of life left in them, and many have been sold on to other judo and aikido clubs thus both preventing waste and recouping some costs for CUJC.

Sarah Spencer, CUJC Secretary 2022/23