Codner's Taekwondo Moodukkwan Int

Thank you to everyone who took the time to send me birthday wishes, messages, and kind words.

I truly appreciate every one of them. It means a lot to know that I have shared moments, memories, and friendships with so many wonderful people.

I am grateful for everyone who has been part of my journey, and I wish you all health, happiness, and success.

With sincere thanks and respect.

Master T. Codner

Today has given me time to reflect.

I have reached 68 years of age, and as I look back over my life, I realise there was a time when I never believed I would live this long.

As a young black boy growing up on a council estate in the East End of London, raised by my mother, I grew up in a world that often seemed filled with poverty, racism, violence and hatred. There were days when I believed those things might one day define my life.

Thankfully, they didn't.

One person refused to let them.

My mother.

She never gave me riches, because she never had them to give.

What she gave me was far more valuable.

She gave me her love.
She gave me her belief.
She gave me her support.
And one day, she gave me the money for my very first martial arts lesson.

Neither of us could have imagined where that one lesson would lead.

For the past 51 years, I have simply tried to honour that gift.

I have never measured my life by money, titles or possessions, because those things can appear and disappear more than once during a lifetime.

I have experienced success.

I have experienced failure.

I have had seasons of comfort.

I have known what it feels like to lose almost everything and have to begin again.

Life has been my greatest teacher.

People know me today as Grandmaster Trevor Codner.

But the truth is...

Inside me still lives the same young boy who wanted nothing more than to become a true martial artist and, more importantly, a decent human being.

If there is one lesson that over half a century of martial arts has taught me, it is this:

A black belt is not found around your waist.

It is found in your character.

It is found in how you treat people who can do nothing for you.

It is found in keeping your word when nobody would know if you broke it.

It is found in standing back up after life has knocked you down one more time than you thought you could bear.

People often see the victories.

Very few see the sacrifices behind them.

Very few see the disappointments.

The loneliness.

The doubts.

The times you quietly question yourself.

Yet you continue.

Because quitting would mean becoming someone you were never meant to be.

Over these fifty-one years I have tied thousands of white belts around students' waists.

I have watched frightened children become confident adults.

I have watched generations of families grow together.

Those moments have been worth more than anything money could ever buy.

Today, I still carry dreams.

Some may never become reality.

Some may take longer than I hope.

But I have learned that dreams are not measured by whether they happen quickly.

They are measured by whether they are worthy of giving your life to.

Life has taught me something very simple.

If you can dream it, you can begin to see it.

If you can see it clearly enough, you can begin to build it.

And if one day you build it... never forget those who believed in you before anyone else did.

Dreams are never built by money alone.

They are built through faith.

Sacrifice.

Discipline.

Perseverance.

And the courage to keep walking when the destination is still hidden beyond the horizon.

As I grow older, I find myself wanting fewer things.

Not more success.

Not more recognition.

Not more titles.

I simply hope that when my own journey finally comes to an end, those whose lives crossed mine will be able to say,

"He tried his best."

"He treated people with respect."

"He never stopped being a student."

"He left the world a little better than he found it."

To my late mother...

Thank you for believing in a little boy before he believed in himself.

To my late Master...

Thank you for teaching me that martial arts is not simply about learning how to fight.

It is about learning how to live.

To every student who has ever walked through the doors of our dojang...

Thank you.

You have taught me just as much as I ever taught you.

I remain a student.

Always.

The learning never ends.

The journey never ends.

And while I still have breath in my body, I will continue striving to become not just a better martial artist...

..but a better human being.

With Respect Always,

Grandmaster Trevor Codner

Strength of Spirit. Purity of Heart. Eternal Respect.

"In life, I have learned that if you can dream it, you can see it. If you can see it, you can build it. And if one day you build it, never forget the people who believed in you before anyone else did.

Martial arts must build respect, discipline, and unity—not ego.
Discipline doesn’t mean we are perfect. It means we strive to be so. See less.

In martial arts, I have always believed one simple truth:
We are human beings first — before we are grandmasters, masters, or instructors.
No rank removes our responsibility to remain humble, respectful, and aware of our humanity.
Students are not slaves, and they are not possessions. They are individuals with their own lives, families, struggles, and journeys. They deserve respect, understanding, and guidance — not control.
Loyalty is not something that can be demanded. Loyalty is a gift. And like all gifts, it must be earned through character, consistency, and integrity.

I have been in martial arts for over 50 years, and I still believe this:
A true martial artist is not measured only by skill, rank, or titles — but by how they treat others when pride, disagreement, or emotion enters the room.

We are not gods. We make mistakes. We learn. We grow. We sometimes fall short. But from those moments we must take knowledge, not ego, and strive to improve on our mistakes.
I will continue to live by this principle:
to show respect first,
to lead by example,
to accept responsibility,
and to remain a student of the way for life.

I have dedicated over half a century to preserving the true spirit of martial arts — not watered down for ego, politics, or modern trends, but rooted in discipline, honor, respect, and warrior character.

This is the way I was taught.
This is the way I teach.
And this is the way I will continue to live.