Verve Taekwondo - Instructors

Taekwondo and the martial arts appeals to a wide variety of different people and the students who prove to be dedicated enough in their jouney to black belt and beyond, and eventually into instruction, are equally as diverse!

As well as having the variety of training programmes we offer, we also encourage students into instruction as the elements it encompasses develop the key skills required for senior grade level i.e. black belt.

John Swift - BSc (Hons) MGT

John founded Verve Taekwondo and Verve Martial Arts during 2002 and with his modern approach to martial arts training and tuition he has written and been featured in the local and national martial arts media including Combat Martial Arts magazine and MAI. More details can be seen in the handbook and forum pages of this website.

A former British Taekwondo Champion, John now heads the clubs in Bromsgrove, Hagley, Kidderminster, Pershore and Droitwich. In addition, John is also the head of the Independent Taekwondo Schools federation that the clubs are affiliated to, meaning links to clubs all over the United Kingdom!

Having competed for many years John decided to focus his energies into teaching, as well as bad Bruce Lee impressions, and likes anything flashy that works! During the time of competing John gained the nick-name 'Blaze' for his lightening fast hand blitz's and is hoping that several of his students will follow those footsteps into competing and bases his teaching methods on the idea that - 'enthusiasm is caught not taught'

John is CRB police checked and holds full instructors liability and indemnity insurance certification and is HSE first aid qualified. John also holds numerous other qualifications and grades in other styles, which include - karate, kickboxing, capoeira, eskrima, hapkido and various weapons styles.

Emma Swift

Emma started Taekwondo back in 1998 having previously participating in various other sporting activities including to national standard in swimming!

Emma plays an important role in beginner member recruitment and administration processes and has gained a somewhat 'motherly' figure status amongst alot of the younger students, in particular some of the girls! Emma believes that success is a journey not a destination and with focus and effort, anything can be achieved! This non more evident in recent years as she suffered an injury to her back (not through Taekwondo!) which resulted in her having to spend 8 months away from training. Living by the tenents of Taekwondo she has worked her way back to fitness with visions of taking further dan grades as soon as is possible.

Emma is CRB police checked and holds full instuctors liability and indemnity insurance certification and is also HSE first aid qualified.


Name - Matthew Cartwright Club - K'minster and Bromsgrove	Name - Kate Holzer Club - Bromsgrove	Name - Stuart Evans Club - Hagley and Bromsgrove	Name - Laura Darvill Club - K'minster and Hagley

Name - Jack Morton Club - Hagley	Name - Mitchell Rushton Club - Hagley and Bromsgrove	Name - Richard Leech Club - K'minster and Hagley	Name - Lee Grazier Club - Bromsgrove

Name - Maxine Rushton Club - Bromsgrove	Name - Joanne Bestwick Club - Bromsgrove	Name - Gary Bestwick Club - Bromsgrove	Name - John Clarke Club - Hagley and Bromsgrove

	Name - Matthew Jennings Club - Hagley and Bromsgrove	Name - Joseph Howkins Club - Bromsgrove

All of our instructors age 16 and over have undergone CRB police checks and hold relevant insurance and qualifications for the teaching of martial arts under the strict instruction and regulations of Independent Taekwondo Schools.