Master Derek Frearson
Derek’s first became interested in the Chinese arts through contact with Chinese friends in the early 60s this time was spent just working techniques. He joined his first club in Leicester in the mid 60s again the club concentrated on self-defence style techniques without formal training of any style of Chinese martial art in particular.
He continued training through out the 70s and in the end inherited the group by default; it was in the early 70s that he started training in Manchester in a new mystical style call Taijiquan. It was through his teacher Sifu Danny Connor that he had his first introduction to Seven Star Prying Mantis and Wing Chun under Master Joseph Cheng who taught seminars for Sifu Connors group.
During this time Derek also continued to practise Seven Star Praying Mantis from Sifu Connor, Sifu Connor had been studying this style in Taiwan and was a founding member of the British Kung Fu Union.
The British Kung Fu Union was a founding member of the British Kung Fu Council which was later renamed the British Council for Chinese Martial Arts.
Later Derek formed his own Association the then British Taijiquan and Shaolin Kung Fu Association as the association grew internationally it was renamed the International Taijiquan and Shaolin Wushu Association which joined the British Council for Chinese Martial Arts in its own right. Derek held various posts over the years including Vice Chairman, Head of the Technical committee and committee member.
Derek went to Boston USA to study Taiji with Master Bow Sim Mark in 1980 and also studied Wah Lum Mantis Style from Sifu Yao Li and the Grandmaster of the style Chan Poi.
He became a teacher of this style and taught it in several countries around the world.
Derek made his first visit to China with his Taiji Teacher Master Bow Sim Mark Boston USA in 1984 and attended the first International Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan) meeting in Wuhan the group also visited Beijing and Guangzhou it was in Guangzhou that the group visited Master Fu Wing Fay the son of the Great Grandmaster Fu Chen Sung.
In 1988 Derek made his first visit to the Shaolin Temple in Henan Province.
And that year Derek was an invited guest at the grand opening of the Shaolin Wushu Training Centre in Dengfeng China it was after this opening that Derek made his first visit to Foshan (Fat Shan) to research the various branches of Wing Chun. In 1989 Derek was elected as the Vice Chairman for British Council for Chinese Martial Arts and held many other posts including Membership Secretary and Technical Committee chairman until 1999 when he stood down.
In 1990 Derek had his first lesson directly with Master Lee Kam Wing in Hong Kong and has followed his master in the Seven Star Mantis style ever since eventually becoming a closed door disciple and graded to Master level by Grandmaster Lee Kam Wing.
Derek has worked closely with Master Lee and has had the opportunely to travel to Hong Kong, China and throughout Europe with him.
August 02.08.2009 Derek was an international judge at a competition organised by Master Lee for the Celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the Founding of the Peoples Republic of China and to Welcome 2009 East Asian Game in Hong Kong.