Licensees' Bid To Help Daughters Fulfill Sporting Dreams

Licensees Paul and Tara Birks of the White Horse Inn, Boughton, have launched an appeal to help their daughters fulfil their sporting dreams.
 
The couple, who have run the Shepherd Neame pub for five and a half years, are parents to Emily, 16; Natasha, 14; and Layla, 12.

The girls, who attend Simon Langton Girls’ Grammar in Canterbury, have been practicing kickboxing and Taekwondo for five years, and have already achieved great success. Emily and Natasha have just become black belts in Taekwondo, with Layla due to take her black belt in September, and they have competed in many taekwondo competitions at a national level, winning many medals between them.

The girls have also competed internationally in the England kickboxing squad for the past three years and last year Layla became a world champion, winning gold in continuous sparring at the competition in Spain. They have once again been selected for this year’s England squad, but the World Championship is being held in Orlando, Florida.

Paul, also a black belt in Taekwondo, said:

The competition is in September, but it will cost around £1,500 per head, which covers start fees, hotel costs and equipment. We are so proud of the girls, and really want to send them all over to America, so our aim is to raise the £4,500 needed through a series of fundraising events at the pub during the next two months.

Tara added:

We all practise martial arts, and are really passionate about the sport. It is a great way to keep fit and also offers self-defence skills and improves confidence. We hope that by getting our daughters over to America, and hopefully bringing back some medals, we can raise the profile of martial arts, and encourage more girls to take it up.