Lowton Community Hub exists to support people who commit their time, skill, and energy to others. Kokoro Ju-Jitsu is a strong example of that commitment.
We are proud to share that Kokoro Ju-Jitsu coaches Steve Boughton and Ian Charlson have been awarded their 5th and 6th Dan grades. These awards recognise decades of service to martial arts, coaching, and community contribution.
Experience Built Over a Lifetime
Ian Charlson began training in 1988. He earned his black belt in 1993 under Professor John Royle and Professor Pete Royle. Since then, he has consistently balanced training, teaching, and running clubs alongside a full-time career. His work at Leigh and Westhoughton Ju-Jitsu Club laid the foundations for what later became Kokoro Ju-Jitsu.
Steve Boughton started Ju-Jitsu at the age of seven. Over a 33-year career, he developed as both a competitor and coach. He represented his county, achieved multiple competition medals, and competed internationally at the WCJJO Championships in Las Vegas in 2010. Alongside competition, his focus remained on coaching and long-term student development.
These Dan promotions recognise more than technical ability. They reflect leadership, consistency, and the willingness to give time to others year after year.
Kokoro Ju-Jitsu at the Hub
Steve and Ian founded Kokoro Ju-Jitsu in 2017 as a non-for-profit club. The club delivers junior and adult classes, alongside women’s self-defence courses. Sessions take place here at Lowton Community Hub as part of our delivery partner programme.
Kokoro Ju-Jitsu adds depth to what the hub offers. Classes support physical development, confidence, discipline, and personal responsibility. This year marks an important moment for the club, with its first Kokoro-trained students preparing to achieve their black belts.
The coaches also contribute beyond weekly classes. They run seminars for the wider martial arts community, including traditional Japanese weapons training and traditional Ju-Jitsu seminars. These events bring people into the hub from across the region.
About Kokoro Ju-Jitsu
Kokoro Ju-Jitsu delivers traditional Ju-Jitsu, sport Ju-Jitsu, and self-defence training rooted in respect, safety, and enjoyment. Classes are open to juniors aged 6–16 and adults aged 14 and over.
Kokoro Ju-Jitsu operates from Lowton Community Hub as a delivery partner, contributing to our aim of providing high-quality, community-led activity in a safe and welcoming environment.
If you want to learn more about Kokoro Ju-Jitsu or other activities at the hub, you can visit us or speak to the team during class times.
why this matters to the community
The hub relies on delivery partners who care about people, not just programmes. Long-term commitment matters. Consistency matters. Showing up week after week matters.
Steve and Ian have done this for decades.
Their promotions reflect the standards we value at Lowton Community Hub. Skill combined with service. Experience combined with accessibility. Tradition combined with openness.
If you train at the hub, you benefit from that depth of experience. If your child trains here, they learn from coaches who have invested most of their lives in learning how to teach well.
"We’re proud to work alongside Kokoro Ju-Jitsu in supporting people through self-defence, confidence building, and personal development. Steve and Ian bring depth, integrity, and long-term commitment to everything they do. Kokoro is an important part of the hub and very much part of the Lowton Community Hub family"