The Studio MAC Covid Survival Fund
Donation protected
We are a small business located in Dereham running martial arts classes for the local community. We have had many people attend our classes over the 8yrs we have been open and currently run Kickboxing Club for 7yrs now and a Karate club running for 15yrs in the area.
The business was started by myself Terry Wittkopp with personal loans and the support and help from the Karate Club I have ran since 2006. It has taken blood sweat and tears to achieve what we have.
We solely rely on members subscription fees and the hire of our centre to keep a roof over our head. We love the safe environment we provide and it has become a real community hub for supporting each other.
We hire to Pilates Yoga, Fitness Coaches, TKD and Aikido Classes.
Due to the pandemic, we cannot hire out the venue, some members cannot afford to pay subscriptions. Some of our older members will not return until the vaccine is out there.
We urgently need funding to keep a roof over our head.
We have had a grant in May 2020 which has now been emptied on rental and other overheads. We also refurbished the changing rooms to bring up to a good standard which we thought was needed due to the pandemic.
Two staff were made redundant (one an apprentice) and two are now furloughed yet again at 80%.
As a Director I am excluded from 80% Furlough due to the way I pay myself. I cannot pay myself unless there is profit in the business. Thats how it has always worked.
The business and its members come first. So I have been on extremely low wage which is not substantial to pay my own way at home. I am now part furloughed because the business still needs someone doing the admin.
Unfortunately bills still keep coming in and they do not stop because we are locked down.
We have a lease on the venue, Heating, electricity /water/ Insurances, the list goes on.
We have had help from our members of which some kindly continued to pay their subscriptions, but as the months drag on we cannot keep taking with open promises of returning the fees in the future. We do not know when we will be on the other side of this pandemic. So all subscriptions are cancelled and we run online classes for a few as and when we can.
I know, what I have achieved with this business, it is outstanding to see the results in young people building confidence and to see the changes in adults too, and I certainly did not do it alone, there has been many volunteers and staff that have helped along the way. They do not want to see this place go to the wall.
I want to continue to grow the business, help more people channeling the skills Instructors have and the energy that we have as a community.
It is about thriving not just surviving, we hope that this pandemic will be over soon but it just keeps on bouncing back at us.
With your donations, I will have the security for the business going into 2021.
I have set the target at £3000 which is fairly high, but I foresee this is what its going to take to get through until easter time. Fingers crossed we are on the good side of the pandemic.
Thankyou for taking time to read this and I am open for any questions you may have and any donations will be appreciated no matter how small.
Terry Wittkopp
Director The Studio Martial Arts Centre Ltd
Traditional Shotokan Karate Ryu
The Studio Kickboxing Club
The business was started by myself Terry Wittkopp with personal loans and the support and help from the Karate Club I have ran since 2006. It has taken blood sweat and tears to achieve what we have.
We solely rely on members subscription fees and the hire of our centre to keep a roof over our head. We love the safe environment we provide and it has become a real community hub for supporting each other.
We hire to Pilates Yoga, Fitness Coaches, TKD and Aikido Classes.
Due to the pandemic, we cannot hire out the venue, some members cannot afford to pay subscriptions. Some of our older members will not return until the vaccine is out there.
We urgently need funding to keep a roof over our head.
We have had a grant in May 2020 which has now been emptied on rental and other overheads. We also refurbished the changing rooms to bring up to a good standard which we thought was needed due to the pandemic.
Two staff were made redundant (one an apprentice) and two are now furloughed yet again at 80%.
As a Director I am excluded from 80% Furlough due to the way I pay myself. I cannot pay myself unless there is profit in the business. Thats how it has always worked.
The business and its members come first. So I have been on extremely low wage which is not substantial to pay my own way at home. I am now part furloughed because the business still needs someone doing the admin.
Unfortunately bills still keep coming in and they do not stop because we are locked down.
We have a lease on the venue, Heating, electricity /water/ Insurances, the list goes on.
We have had help from our members of which some kindly continued to pay their subscriptions, but as the months drag on we cannot keep taking with open promises of returning the fees in the future. We do not know when we will be on the other side of this pandemic. So all subscriptions are cancelled and we run online classes for a few as and when we can.
I know, what I have achieved with this business, it is outstanding to see the results in young people building confidence and to see the changes in adults too, and I certainly did not do it alone, there has been many volunteers and staff that have helped along the way. They do not want to see this place go to the wall.
I want to continue to grow the business, help more people channeling the skills Instructors have and the energy that we have as a community.
It is about thriving not just surviving, we hope that this pandemic will be over soon but it just keeps on bouncing back at us.
With your donations, I will have the security for the business going into 2021.
I have set the target at £3000 which is fairly high, but I foresee this is what its going to take to get through until easter time. Fingers crossed we are on the good side of the pandemic.
Thankyou for taking time to read this and I am open for any questions you may have and any donations will be appreciated no matter how small.
Terry Wittkopp
Director The Studio Martial Arts Centre Ltd
Traditional Shotokan Karate Ryu
The Studio Kickboxing Club
Organizer
Terry Wittkopp
Organizer
