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Matthew Collins, Samurai Fitness: Five Things I LOVE about Jersey

Matthew Collins, Samurai Fitness: Five Things I LOVE about Jersey

Friday 30 October 2020

Matthew Collins, Samurai Fitness: Five Things I LOVE about Jersey

Friday 30 October 2020


Black-belt martial arts instructor, Matthew Collins, has been teaching kickboxing to children in Jersey for the last decade.

He set up The Samurai Fitness Group in 2010 after his four-year-old nephew asked him to teach him kickboxing.

"I had just returned from a two year stay in Japan, where I had been teaching English to children," he says.

He agreed to teach his nephew and five of his friends, and it was not long before he was teaching kickboxing full-time.

Matthew gets a kick out of living in Jersey so here are five things he loves about the island...

1. The People

I grew up in a small village in Buckinghamshire and everyone knew everyone and the place had a real sense of community. It is maybe because of that I am fond of the sense of community in Jersey. I like how people pull together and support local events, initiatives and each other.

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Pictured: Matthew loves the sense of community in Jersey. 

2. The Pace of Life

This links into the sense of community too. Coming from just outside of London, the pace of life was 'supersonic'. I like a life that is dynamic, efficient and where you can access things at most times of the day and get things done.

However such fast paced living means you have less time for each other and you become distanced from people in the community. I like the fact that people have a bit more time for you here and I think we are all better off for that.

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Pictured: "I like the fact that people have a bit more time for you here and I think we are all better off for that."

3. It's on your Doorstep

I love the fact that, worst comes to the worst, you can walk or cycle to anywhere on the island. Things are so close you can access activities anywhere from playing pool in the centre of town to kayaking along a wild stretch of coast.

4. The History

One aspect of London I love is that you can live in the area for years and still find hidden gems and things you do not know about. I find the Green Lanes in Jersey have the same sense of discovery without the volume of air pollution!

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Pictured: He loves exploring everything the island has to offer. 

I love finding a tucked away bunker, dolmen or view I have not seen before. Jersey has a lot to offer but because it is so small it is easy to fall into the mistake of thinking you have seen it all and that prevents you exploring all the island has to offer.

5. The Range of Sports

For the size of the population Jersey has a lot of clubs, sports and activities. I think we do not realise how blessed we are with the plethora of sporting opportunities available to us all, and I think we tend to take it for granted. 

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