Rowan Thompson, 2nd dan
Rowan moved to Sevenoaks in 2001 and joined the Brighton Aikikai training under Mark Hale, Phil Rozier and Nick Doyle. He has attended many courses with Christian Tissier, Yasuno Sensei, Pascal Durchon and other senior FFAAA instructors since then. Rowan got his shodan in 2004, completed instructor training in the same year and did his nidan in 2008.
In 2003, Rowan and Phil set up a small club for students at Sevenoaks School which has grown in popularity and is now part of the Saturday school sports curriculum. The Sevenoaks Club obviously has strong links with Brighton Aikikai and regularly invites senior students and instructors up to do courses and gradings at the school. The school dojo is now part of the circuit for Brighton Aikikai courses led by Phil Rozier and it is hoped that the school club will continue to expand and develop greater links with other satellite clubs such as Crawley Aikikai.
Rowan has taught regularly with Phil at the Sussex University dojo and other venues in Brighton and now attends the Crawley Aikikai dojo regularly to provide support to Jeff Balmer and his team.
