This week I want to share some proper club news. Wing Chun Halesowen has been named Best Martial Arts School 2026 – West Midlands in the Corporate Vision Global Business Awards 2026. It is a proud moment for everyone who trains with us — and a good excuse to say thank you.
I founded the club in 2013, and I have trained in martial arts since 1989. Awards are nice, but they are not why we open the doors every weekday evening. Still, when an industry programme puts your school on the winners list, it is worth pausing and talking about what we actually do here in Halesowen.
What the Corporate Vision award is
Corporate Vision’s Global Business Awards 2026 recognise organisations across a range of sectors. Our category is Best Martial Arts School 2026 – West Midlands. You can read the official announcement on the Corporate Vision press release and see the full winners list on their Hall of Fame page.
We have also updated our award-winning martial arts in Halesowen page so the 2026 recognition sits alongside earlier ones: Best Martial Arts School 2024 for Dudley Borough (community engagement), Best Family-Run Martial Arts School 2023, Best Traditional Chinese Martial Arts School West Midlands (2021), and our BMABA SENCO award for inclusive teaching. That page is the single place to see the full picture — this post is simply the news, in plain English.
Thank you to the students and parents
An award like this does not land on an empty mat. It reflects the kids who turn up after school, the adults who train after a long day at work, and the parents who sit in the viewing area week after week. It also reflects Assistant Instructor John, who has been with the school since it opened, and the junior coaching team of young adults who help keep classes moving.
If you train with us — thank you. If you support a child who trains with us — thank you. The plaque or listing is external; the real work is the quiet consistency you bring into Unit 1C every evening.
What we actually do at the club
For anyone reading this who has never been through the door, here is the short version. We are a full-time Wing Chun training centre at Unit 1C, Eagle Trading Estate, Stourbridge Road, Halesowen B63 3UA — not a rented church hall. There is a proper training area, traditional equipment including a wooden dummy and wall bags, and a parents’ viewing area.
Our Wing Chun comes through the Ip Man lineage, via Grandmaster Ip Chun and Sifu Shaun Rawcliffe of the Midlands Wing Chun Kuen. Classes run Monday to Friday:
- Children (5 to 11): Monday to Friday, 6:00pm to 6:55pm
- Adults: Monday to Thursday, 7:15pm to 8:15pm; Friday, 7:05pm to 8:05pm
Kids’ classes include age-appropriate, supervised sparring suited to age and ability. Adults work on applications — applying techniques with a partner — rather than sparring as such. Children progress through coloured sashes, not belts, and adults through numbered grades, 1 to 9. Insurance is included in membership. For a first visit you only need comfortable clothing; no special kit.
We are family-run and SEN-friendly, with BMABA SENCO recognition. If you want more on how that shows up in practice, see our post on inclusive martial arts and SEN support. For how kids and adults can train under the same roof, martial arts for the whole family is a useful read. And if you have never seen the hall, inside our full-time training centre walks you through what to expect.
What an award does — and does not — change
Winning Best Martial Arts School 2026 for the West Midlands does not change how we teach Siu Nim Tao, how we run our gradings, or how we greet a nervous beginner on their first night. It does, I hope, make it a little easier for someone in Halesowen, Dudley, Stourbridge or nearby to trust that we take the school seriously.
Choosing an instructor still comes down to whether you feel safe, whether the syllabus is clear, and whether the person teaching you can explain things without ego. If you are still weighing that up, our post on questions to ask before choosing a martial arts instructor is written for exactly that moment.
Come and try a free class
The best way to judge any school is to stand on the floor. We offer a free trial class — book it on our booking page so we know to expect you. You can also browse Wing Chun classes in Halesowen for the wider overview of kids and adult programmes.
Prefer a quick chat first? Call, text or WhatsApp me on 07821 126 685, or email si**@******************co.uk.
Awards come and go. The work of turning up, learning the next piece of the form, and looking after the people next to you does not. That is what this club is for — and I am glad the 2026 recognition from Corporate Vision sits on top of that, rather than instead of it.
Thank you again to everyone who trains here. If you are local and curious, book your free trial and come and meet us.
Sifu Alan Bagley, Wing Chun Halesowen
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