The Manchester Aikido club (Wa Go Kan dojo) was formed in 1970 and was based at Manchester prison under the direction of Senseis Tony & Sandra Drinkwater. Both Tony & Sandra were Shodan with the then Aikikai of Great Britain, (now the British Aikido Federation) under the leadership of Chiba Shihan. In the late 1970′s the club moved to St.Josephs church hall under the direction of sensei Mark Binns (Nidan) and was affiliated to the British Aikido Federation (BAF) under the direction of Minoru Kanetsuka shihan.
In 1989 the club moved to the Gorse Hill Youth Centre, Cavendish Road, Stretford, Manchester under the direction of David Yates (5th dan) and Paul Healy (3rd dan). The club thrived in the early part of the 21st century with valuable contributions made by Martyn Hamer sensei (1st Dan) and Simon McAsey sensei (2nd dan) who were both instrumental in taking the club forward during a period when the number of members was considerably less than it is today. In 2008 the club moved to it’s present “home” at St Matthews church social club, Chapel Lane , Stretford.
It continues to flourish as the only Aikido dojo in Greater Manchester that is affiliated to the B.A.F., which is the only Aikido federation in the U.K. to have a Japanese Shihan appointed to it by the Aikido Hombu Dojo, Tokyo, Japan, and is also the only organisation in England and Wales to be affiliated to the International Aikido Federation.
