Martial arts students wear pink belts for breast cancer charity

Members of a martial arts school in Melksham are wearing pink belts to raise funds for a breast cancer charity.

Leadership Martial Arts, which teaches Taekwondo at River Mead Primary School, is aiming to raise £1,000 for Breast Cancer Now, a research and support charity.

Jack, who runs Leadership Martial Arts, said, “I bought 123 belts and the students have purchased them, with the funds going to the charity. The idea was brought to me by one of my assistants after they had seen something similar online.”

The group has raised funds for charity before, including the veterans mental health charity Combat Stress, by selling ice-pops over the summer, and Doing it for Dan, a charity in Swindon, which recently dissolved after nine years of supporting young people in sport.

“I had my head shaved for that charity about six years ago now,” said Jack. “There is a traumatic video going around somewhere. I used to have a big afro in my younger years; the head shave was a big fundraiser. We have also done some raffles in class too.”

The group will wear the pink belts until their next grading day on 10th November, when all proceeds will be donated to the charity.