About Us
Mission Statement
London All Stars Taekwondo Academy was set up in 1999 by co-founders James Williams and Claude Williams and the assistance of Gilroy Wright and with club secretary Valerie Sandiford since 2014, who manages the marketing, branding, social media, tournaments and administration duties
All three coaches have worked tirelessly giving their time, knowledge and dedication to the club for the benefit of the children within the local community, and work holistically through instructing taekwondo to teach discipline, self-empowerment and to build confidence to their young members
They equip children with the tools they need to overcome everyday challenges, and help them develop positive mind-sets that allows them to deal with setbacks and withstand obstacles they may face in life
What is remarkable about the London All Stars Taekwondo Academy is that the coaches have consistently committed their time, prioritising the children and family’s needs for a supportive, local club in an area that faces a high level of deprivation and crime.
The instructors, all certified black belts and DBS checked, invest a lot of time and energy to the club, to support children's overall physical and mental health & well-being, and provide an area where they can be supported and achieve in a climate where many children face ever increasing pressures that can influence their development negatively, particularly young boys.
The club adheres to the high standards imposed on them from the British Taekwondo and Chungdokwan Professional Bodies, and have participated and achieved great success in many tournaments over the years.
London All Stars Taekwondo Academy Crowdfunding
Help London All Stars Taekwondo Academy make a difference to the local community
We want to raise £2,000 to help fund local community children to learn Taekwondo and gain discipline, self esteem and confidence
Visit our Crowdfunding Page by clicking on the link to make a kind donation. All donations however big or small will be gratefully received
Meet The Team
Qualified Instructor - JAMES WILLIAMS
James Williams – Co Founder & DBS Certified
James developed his interest and great passion for martial arts, back in the 80s, from frequently watching martial art movies. He recalls watching Bruce Lee on the big screen for the first time and being hooked.
A turning point for him was when along with his cousin Gilroy he visited a kickboxing club in Loughborough park in Brixton, there he found a sport he was totally committed to, however after two years of training vigorously the club unfortunately closed down
At this point he was keen to find a new martial arts club, and happened to stumble across a taekwondo club call E West, which was a club based at the Flaxman sports centre.
This is where his journey at Flaxman began teaming up with Claude, they spent many years training and cultivating their martial arts with dedication and commitment until eventually the club moved to North London
As a natural progression Claude took the club over for a number of years, where they enjoyed great success competing nationally and winning gold medals.
In 1999 they co-founded the London All Stars Taekwondo Academy, with the aim of providing a community based club where children could learn the discipline of martial arts, build confidence and reach their full potential. James has used his passion to coach many children over the years, where he feels it been greatly rewarding to see these children grow into parents themselves and bring their children to the club
Qualified Instructor - CLAUDE WILLIAMS
Claude Williams – Co Founder & DBS Certified
Claude started training in Taekwondo back in 1985 and competed in both national and international competitions winning medals at both levels.
He has been teaching Taekwondo for over 30 years and has coached numerous fighters, some who have gone on to compete as part of the British Taekwondo team.
As an instructor Claude regularly maintain his standards by going to numerous training sessions and seminars.
Qualified Instructor - GILROY WRIGHT
Gilroy Wright – Assistant Coach & DBS Certified
Gilroy has 30 years’ experience in fighting and competing in marital arts.
He is an avid Thai kick boxer as well as being trained in Jujitsu. Gilroy has a real aptitude in working with children, with his supportive manner and clear instructions he successfully coaches children in Boxing and Taekwondo.
Gilroy's strength lies in providing more one to one support with children, to overcome their fears and thus building up their confidence in engaging more with the group sessions
Club Secretary - VALERIE SANDIFORD
Valerie Sandiford – Club Secretary
Valerie has always had a passion for Martial Arts with her two sons part of the London All Stars Taekwondo Academy family
Valerie is in charge of the day to day administration for the club as well as well as all the branding, marketing materials and promotional advertising of the club at national tournaments, championships and on the wider social media platforms