Sensei Nick Pitman
Sensei Carl Ashcroft-Nowicki
Freda Pitman
Sensei Mike Smith
Senseis Tony Davis and Ian Bailey
Paul Patterson MBE
Luminaries
Sensei Nick Pitman
School Founder / President 2008 - present
Sensei Nick Pitman founded the School in January 1988 from the Police Headquarters in Jersey, moving to Fort Regent in 1990 before permanently renting what is now the Graeme Pitman Memorial Dojo in 1998. Nick was elected as President of his own School in 2008.
Carl Ashcroft-Nowicki
Former President 1997-2007
Carl, a local barrister, was President of the school for ten years from 1997 and is the Chief Instructor of the Iai-Do section. He also holds a 1st Dan in Aikido.
Freda Pitman
Honorary Life President
Mother of School Founder Sensei Nick Pitman, Freda is a generous benefactor to the School and was elected Honorary Life-President after the death of husband Graeme in 2002. Now becoming more involved in the School's activities, Freda has taken up Tai Chi for the first time this year (2006).
Sensei Mike Smith
Honorary Vice-Life President
Sensei Mike Smith (Towcester, Northants) is a very old friend of school Director Nick Pitman and first came to Jersey to teach Aikido in the early 80’s when the club was run by Sensei Ezio Chatrian. Mike Sensei was the founder of the traditional based Kai-Shin-Kai group in the UK and holds the rank of 7th Dan. He was deservedly given the title of Honorary Life Vice-President many years ago and we are proud to continue to be associated with such a good and loyal friend. Mike was Nick’s main UK mentor from the early 80’s and continues to be active in the aikido community, being re-born with the creation of the Ju-Shin-Kai, a traditional arm of the British Aikido Association.
Senseis Tony Davis and Ian Bailey
Honorary Vice-Life Presidents
Sensei Tony Davis (Yate, South Gloucestershire) first came to teach in Jersey in 1991 and has since become a regular visitor to the island dispensing his unique brand of Aikido interspersed with the worst shaggy-dog stories ever experienced in the modern world. He has been an Honorary Life Vice-President for many years. Sensei Ian Bailey (Cheshire Aikido Club) was inducted as an Honorary Life Vice-President this year. Ian is a highly skilled aikido exponent and thoroughly decent guy who first met and trained with Nick Pitman in Prescot in early 1996. Also a frequent visitor to Jersey he has many friends on the Island.
Paul Patterson MBE
School Patron
Paul is the Founder/Chairman of the Jersey Sports Association for the Disabled. He is a keen sportsman despite a visual impairment and has worked tirelessly to promote sport for the disabled in Jersey and internationally. The School and the JSAD have been linked since November 2000 and continue to join together from time to time to promote integration in sport between abled and differently abled people.
