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THANKS HOWE!
When I started this website, I was not sure where we are going with it. Of course, I had some basic visions what I wanted on it; what information I wanted to convey to others, but I was full with self-doubts as how to do it.
The first website, as you can see it today, is the first one I’ve ever done. It is trial by errors, I would say.
Whilst I was at the design stage there was one element I wanted to be here, a blog. Short or long, does not matter but related to us, kempo and/or the club. I asked everyone on our chat room to contribute, and within days we had the first two ready.
Since I published them, I was constantly battling with other issues (membership; training; work; family, etc) and I was putting off writing a new post, but by now we (the Shibu) reached a turning point, I wanted to share it with you.
A few weeks ago, I put out a short ad - REALLY A CRY FOR HELP - (on WhatsApp and Twitter) for the design of our logo. I wanted to have something which will put the club on the map; will be easily distinguishable and one that artistically pleasing. Now, those of you who knows me well, it is clear that I was not intended to be one of the contenders, based on the last requirement.
However, I tried. Downloaded countless programs (don’t ever believe in free dinner or free programs anymore) and spent hours pestering my wife to write Chinese characters on every piece of papers I was able to lay my hands on it. Well, it did not work.
This is the best I managed to get out. Some part of it just all right. According to Minesh, I am underselling myself, but I beg to differ.
Then I turned to websites, which are selling ready made logos, but it did not feel right. It seemed too foreign using something that it is available for anyone else, and it will be given to anyone who pays the right price for it.
During these days some of the group members assured me that they were working on their version, but it never compartmentalized, somehow. So…, slowly I was letting the project go.
Then on a Sunday afternoon Minesh came along, and as they say the rest of it is history… 😊
Many of you know Minesh, but some of you have not had the chance to meet him yet. He works in IT and currently on 3rd Dan. He trains, most of the time at Acton (sadly only via Zoom nowadays) but we regard him as an essential part of our own Shibu.
His contribution goes back years to our first community project when we run a 6 weeks training program for Bedfordshire Deaf Children Society.
So Minesh… he said he knows someone in New Zealand who might be able to help us out, and to be good to his words, he quickly set up a group between us and our Savior and designer guru, HOWE CHENG. Minesh and Howe are friends since 1996, since they attended the same school.
We started throwing ideas at Howe. What we want to see; what is the brand; how is should look like; what is the message we want to convey; what are the limitation of the colors in the logo; characters; philosophical meanings and so on… . Believe me, the list was endless.
What followed were a series of lengthy messages and conference calls (the time difference between The UK and New Zealands are the worst) and within days Howe produced two versions of his draft and suddenly I was on a different planet. His work was ABSOLUTELY fabulous. Both Minesh and myself felt elated as the logo was everything we wanted to see.
So after all these writing I hope I whetted your appetite for the real Monty… below are the final and official L&D Shibu logos, which very soon you will see on various club merchandises.
Howe…, he is a busy man, doing his own day-job. Looking after his own family, and selflessly helping us out.
I don’t know what to say to you, but for now…, I am speechless.
Howe, you outperformed my wildest dreams and created a professional LOGO, which will stay here for years to come. We owe you a large amount of gratitude and just hope one day we will be able to repay your kindness and tremendous efforts.
Lee's memoirs
Minesh became the first blogger
