David Akroyd-Jones began training in Wing Chun in 1984. After several years of dedicated training, he was given permission to open a small class with Sifu Woodward.

In March 1993 Sifu Akroyd-Jones accompanied Sifu Steve Woodward to a Wing Chun seminar given by Grandmaster Ip Chun (eldest son of the late Grandmaster Ip Man) at the school run by the Grandmasters’ senior western student and representative, Sifu Shaun Rawcliffe

Like Sifu Woodward, Sifu Akroyd-Jones realised that his current instruction and training lacked understanding of the skills, knowledge and energy that is the art of Wing Chun. Since they had only ever wanted to learn traditional Wing Chun, both Sifu’s Akroyd-Jones and Woodward approached Sifu Shaun Rawcliffe to ask if he would accept them as private students, which he did. After 18 months of intensive training Sifu’s Akroyd-Jones and Woodward were at a standard where they were invited to teach for Sifu Rawcliffe and his Association.

Since 1996, Sifu’s Akroyd-Jones and Woodward have accompanied Sifu Rawcliffe on several training trips to Hong Kong with Master Ip Chun and in November 1999 were invited to demonstrate their skills with Sifu Rawcliffe during the 1st World Ving Tsun Conference, Hong Kong.

The strict criteria set by the Midlands Wing Chun Kuen ensures that authentic Wing Chun is taught in the traditional way. All applicants are vetted and only those who have proven their dedication, respect and genuine desire to learn are accepted. The Cheltenham Wing Chun Kuen under Sifu Rawcliffes’ organisation offers traditional Wing Chun to students in the Gloucestershire area of the UK.

“The holistic nature of the Chinese approach and the attention to use of energy, structure and technique in movement has been the inspiration to develop further skills and greater understanding of human performance”- Sifu David Akroyd-Jones

Sifu Akroyd-Jones attended college in 1996 to study for a degree in Sport and Exercise Science with Psychology which he completed in 1998.

He is an accredited Sport and Exercise Scientist with the British Association of Sport and Exercise working as an Exercise Therapist at Physability, specialising in exercise therapy and rehabilitation for individuals affected by paralysis.

Recent additions to his qualifications include  Phase IV Cardiac Rehabilitation Instructor: BACR, Sports therapy and Remedial massage ITEC, and Chartered scientist with the Institute of Chartered Scientists.