Instructors
Keeper of Lau Gar Kung Fu Master Yau
Chief InstructorSifu Alan Neeld
Paul Clements
3rd Degree Black Sash.
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 Wayne Wainright
3rd Degree Black Sash. Chi Na.
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 Daniel Chodynicki
2nd Degree Black Sash. 1st Dan Black Belt Judo.
My journey into the martial arts started at the tender age of seven and a half when I took up Judo classes. I found it not only a great confidence builder but also it a brilliant insight into the world of martial arts. I attained a Black Belt 1st Dan at the age of eleven. Unfortunately the Judo club closed due to the instructor retiring.
I stopped training for a while but my life was not complete without martial arts. As a kid I loved watching Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan films, which urged me to want to learn Kung Fu. A few years later, an advertisement in the local newspaper rekindled my passion for the martial arts, it gave me the opportunity to get back into it and this became the beginning of my Kung Fu life.
ÒReal living is living for othersÓ Ð Bruce Lee
When I reached the grade of 7th Cup Brown Sash, Alan encouraged me to teach my own class, and I must say I have found the whole teaching experience extremely rewarding. Especially when I see my students reaching Yellow and Purple Sash status and enjoying every bit of it along the way.
Taking the 1st Degree Black Sash at the Temple in front of Master Yau was an amazing experience and an honour, which I will never forget. I have and continue train alongside my sister Emily Jane Taylor who is a 1st Degree Black Sash. We have helped and encouraged each other to be our very best. We have put a lot of hard work, dedication and focus in all our training and inspired each other.
Recently, I have passed my 2nd Degree Black Sash. One of the Lau Gar Sets that I have completed which happens to be very special to me involving my favourite weapon, among the many weapons that I have experienced thus far, is the BROADSWORD set. At the time, this set felt like I was in a film, maybe one of the films that had inspired me as a child.
Lau Gar Kung Fu I now find to be a way of life, of which I owe a lot to my instructor Sifu Alan Neeld for his teaching and guidance over many years. As I look forward to learning more in Lau Gar I am keen to occasionally incorporate some of my Judo and Nunchaku experience into my classes, to further the knowledge of my students and other instructors and what is truly remarkable is that Lau Gar Kung Fu is one large family, where everyone is willing to help each other for a common goal, where nothing is too much trouble.
May this journey continue .......................
Daniel Chodynicki
 Paul Chear
2nd Degree Black Sash. Escrima Kali.
Hi IÕm Paul
Martial Arts have always been part of my life and I hope it always will be. IÕll always try to work hard to keep it that way. If I was to be honest there have been times when IÕve had to take a break and practice other things either due to injuries or other reasons but I have never thought or imagined I would stop altogether.
My father was a huge Bruce Lee fan so thatÕs how it started for me aged 9 trying to mimic Kung Fu movements in front of the TV. My first exposure to martial arts was at the age of 10 or 11 when my mother decided that it would be good for me to take Karate lessons, hoping to build my self confidence and also to learn self-defence which she felt was important. I learned a lot from Karate, it helped me develop awareness, concentration, focus, balance and control but deep down I always wanted to study traditional Chinese martial arts like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan.
It wasnÕt until 1996 that I found a traditional Kung Fu club that really resonated with me. It was here that I met Lau Gar Guardian, Sifu Alan Neeld. He had an understanding and approach that I hoped to find in a martial arts instructor, and by this time I had matured as a martial artist so I was confident in what I knew and what I wanted to gain. Later I discovered that a real Kung Fu Master, Master Jeremy Yau had taught Alan personally, something I had only seen or heard of in the movies.
I have worked hard over the last 14 years and have been fortunate in learning and achieving many things within the art and have gone on to instruct other students.
There are numerous benefits of practicing Kung Fu although these are not gained straight away, it is not a quick fix and the greatest benefits will be achieved long term. Listed among the benefits is an increase in general health and fitness, greater stamina, longevity, greater mental clarity and calmness and increased physical capabilities.
Other martial arts that I have been fortunate to study include: Tai Chi and Chin Na, descriptions of these practices are outlined in the COURSES & TRADITIONAL KUNG FU SECTIONS of the website. In addition to these I have also participated in the following:
Iaido - Iaido is one of the Japanese traditional Budo concerned with drawing the blade and cutting in the same motion. A typical form consists of the draw and cut, a finishing cut, cleaning the blade and returning it to the scabbard, all without looking away from the imaginary opponent. Most practice is solo, eventually with shin-ken (a real blade).
Eskrima - Eskrima, Kali or Arnis all come under the realm of Filipino Martial Arts (FMA). Eskrima comes from the Spanish word for ÒskirmishÓ or ÒfencingÓ. It is one of the names in the Philippines for martial arts, which use sticks and blades as the basis of their movement principles and training methods.
I donÕt consider myself an expert by any means, but suggest you take the following under consideration before taking on, or practicing martial arts;
What is your goal or what do you hope to achieve from studying martial arts? This can be for health and fitness reasons, to win trophies and medals or combative awareness, to gain understanding and history (culture) of an art or it can be to improve you martial arts skills and discipline.
Know you own limitations, I am 33 years old now and trying to approach the gymnastic style of martial arts would not be sensible. Some styles rely on physical strength but others such as the Chinese martial arts concentrate on technique so size and strength are not an issue.
Look at your aims, if your training to be a boxer thereÕs no point just doing the circuit training eventually your going to have to get into the ring. Also remember injuryÕs are a part of most combative martial arts, you have to except this and move forward, its a huge part of the development in martial arts and in many cases you can learn more from a defeat then you can from a victory, to quote a great champ;
ÒEveryone has a plan until theyÕve been hitÓ Ð Joe Lewis
My final piece of advice would be to go and observe classes and ask questions, a good instructor will always be happy to answer them.
So why do I practice Kung Fu and other Martial Arts, well apart from the fact that I love training and learning I would rather know how to defend myself and never have to do so, than need to defend myself and not know how.
Paul Chear
Charles Humphrey
Ever since I saw my first Bruce Lee film I wanted to practice Kung-Fu, later I got into Jackie Chan, and just wanted to be able to do what those guys could do on the screen. So as a child of about 8 years my parents tried to find a Kung-Fu School near us, but the only martial arts school they could find was for Judo, so I started my martial arts there. I enjoyed it, but all I wanted to do was Kung-Fu and eventually gave up the Judo class.
As a young man I got into other contact sports and played for various American Football teams around the midlands, finally settling down with the (now disbanded) Redditch Arrows, where I played for a few seasons. I stopped playing sports at around the age of 23, and slowly got out of shape.
About 8 years later I came across a guy at work that used to train with Master YauÕs Son at University and he pointed me in the direction of Lau Gar Kuen and the main web site, and I finally got a phone number for Sifu Alan Neeld. I called Alan up asking if it would be OK for me to come along to a class, expressing that I was quite out of shape, and to see how I get on to which Alan replied, ÒSure, itÕs a friendly family atmosphere, come along and see what you think.Ó So I went along to the Friday night class at Longbridge and have been training Lau Gar Kuen for about ten years now.
My primary focus at the moment (as well as general health and fitness) is self defense, using the form in as practical way as I believe I can. I hope you find, like I did, that Kung Fu is not just a martial art, but also a way of thinking and being.
Charles Humphrey
 Mike Fowler
1st Degree Black Sash.
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 Emily Jane Taylor
1st Degree Black Sash.
I can remember watching my older brother practising martial arts from as little as 3 years of age,little did I know how much I would look up to him and wish I could do the same.
I only ever messed about when I was younger merely acting as a dummy for my brother to practise his moves, I never really thought I would ever be any good, however 6 years ago I decided I wanted to get fit and learn something that would be an everyday part of my life.
It all started when i was canvassing a kung Fu advert for my job in advertising, and I spoke to a rather friendly gentleman called Alan Neeld, coincidently this man also happened to be my brother Daniel's previous martial arts instructor, anyway I decided to go along to the new club Alan had opened in Redditch the town where I live. I can still re-call giggling with nervousness in my first Kung Fu lesson hardly being able to do one press up and thinking I am never going to get to grips with my coordination.
In the coming weeks and with extreme determination I found out how much I enjoyed this new found hobby of mine, and when I look back now I am amazed at how I could have ever lived without Lau Gar Kung Fu in my life. I certainly made the right decision to join the club and the personal journey I am taking now is fascinating.
Sifu Alan Neeld has taken me down a path I never knew existed, he has taught me many techniques and skills which have impacted the way I live and think, he not only has been an inspiration to me, but also like a father guiding and supporting me, his guidance has changed my life is so, so many ways.
Alan Neeld was taught by a Chinese man we all have come to know as 'Master Yau.' He brought the Lau Gar style over to England from Hong Kong in the 70's, I can only imagine how privileged Alan must have felt to have been to be taught by the most respected Master in Martial Arts of his time in the UK, for a long time it left me thinking Òwould I ever get to meet him and experience some of his words of wisdomÓ
Lucky I have now had the privilege to have trained on a few courses instructed by Master J Yau. At the time I was completely in awe of him, and will remember the courses forever, more than this I will take with me knowledge and understanding of some of his most desired techniques not forgetting his anecdotes and prolific stories.
In April 2009 I woke up feeling incredibly nervous...today was the day I had trained only dreamed of and trained oh so hard for , my 1st degree black sash. To face Master Yau himself and show him all I had learned. However i did it and I cannot tell you how proud I was when I received the letter saying I had passed.
I have come a long way from that fateful day 6 years ago, and I have met some good friends along the way. Since then I have conducted my own training course, teaching the Chinese Fan, A technique I had learned from the only female guardian Morag Quirk.
I Have performed sets and fought at the national championships the largest Kung Fu tournament in the country. In addition to this I am honoured to be able to help teach in the classes, and hope to pass on the traditional art of Lau Gar Kung Fu for many years to come.
One thing I found in my time of training and can honestly say is you are always learning and developing your own technique and style, this creates the person you are, mind, body and soul.
Emily Jane Taylor
 Cathryn McNeil
1st Degree Black Sash. 12 years Tai Chi training.
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Fiona Walsh
1st Degree Black Sash.
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Dave Williams
1st Degree Black Sash.
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