Yoshimi Ju Jitsu International, February 2002 "The Beginning" We have already mentioned the date, 2nd. February 2002 Leslie Ottoey and Tom De Jaeger arrived on the 7.00am. flight from Brussels and were met by Roger Wilkes and Diane Monk, during the drive back to Gillingham we discussed what we felt, should be the basis of an international group of friends within Ju Jitsu, after arriving at the "King Charles Hotel" we sat and had breakfast together still discussing the same and onto lunch in Chatham's historic Dockyard at the Hotel, "Ship and Trades" we still continued. We did however take a little break so that Tom and Leslie could enjoy a little of the historic Medway Towns and in the evening, during dinner at the "Singapora" restaurant in Rochester we formed "Yoshimi Ju Jitsu International".

Belfast, Ireland 2002 A short flight from Gatwick to Belfast saw us arriving a little after 7.00pm. and being met at the airport by our driver for the evening, a very short journey saw us arriving at the "Balmoral Hotel" where we were met by Dominic McCloskey who is the head of the Irish Ju Jutsu Organisation, our hosts for the weekend. On Saturday morning we were picked up from the hotel and driven to the leisure centre where a Dan grading had been arranged and we had the pleasure of watching a first class Dan grading before being driven back to our hotel. That evening we were shown the night life of Belfast before being collected the following morning and taken back to the centre where we were to teach three groups, the children, senior students and the Dan grades. All to soon we were back at the airport ready for the flight home having enjoyed a great weekend and having made many new friends along with a new national representative for Yoshimi Ju Jitsu International. Picture; Roger Wilkes coaching.

Budapest, Hungary 2002 This course saw a large group of Kyushin Ryu members meet up with a large group of Belgium members in one of the most beautiful cities in Eastern Europe. We had first met Laszlo Lazar on the course in Empuria Brava and through a Hungarian student living in Vise, Belgium we had maintained contacts, he in turn showed a very serious interest in Yoshimi Ju Jitsu International and in September we all went out to meet him and his members. We were fêted, taken to visit all of the places of interest, to first class restaurants, night clubs and the shopping kept all of the ladies, and some of the fellows, occupied for hours. The two day congress was first class and we even brought home some trophies, this was one of the first visits to Hungary by teams from Western Europe and the reception could not have been better, certainly the English contingent said it was the best overseas trip that they had ever been on. Picture; Belgium, English and Hungarian members together.

Gillingham, Kent 2002 The Black Lion Leisure Centre in Gillingham has been the venue for large Ju Jitsu gatherings for over ten years, so the first Yoshimi Ju Jitsu International Congress here in Great Britain was not going to faze it. Its situation next to a good size hotel is first class and the hotel having a night club within it also proves a boost. Not only did we have Yoshimi members from all of the countries we also had friends from throughout the United Kingdom as well. This was the first where we were to have our training course followed by a competition and what a reaction it received as well, there was some great Ju Jitsu and win or loose Ju Jitsu was the winner this day. The day was concluded by a party in the night club that evening where members, guests, relatives and friends all enjoyed themselves as they should, in good company and in good spirit.