Pre-2002
As far as we are aware, prior to 2002 there was no Atarashii Naginata practised in Great Britain other than as a discipline within a Koryu (old style) Budo. Anecdotally it reached us that multi-disciplined Mrs Patricia Knutsen, who is known to some older members of the European Naginata Federation ((ENF) which covers the Atarashii style of the All Japan Naginata Federation), once practiced both a koryu Naginata and possibly Atarashii Naginata as part of her Kendo dojo in southern England, but those based in London new to Aratarashii Naginata had no any contact with Mrs Knutsen, but respect Mrs Knutsen may have been the first.
2002-2004
Following the wife of a Hanshi Kendo sensei joining him for his annual Kendo seminar, an informal seminar to bring Atarashii Naginata to London was organised in summer 2002. In 2004 more regular informal practices were held in London to ‘test the waters’ among a small group of people who had expressed an interest to continue practicing. An informal personal website was established to act as an initial information and contact point for Atarashii Naginata in Britain.
2005
From 2005 our interest group stabilised in London meeting regularly on Saturday mornings, before children’s Kendo practice in the same location. This single group of friends became the first dojo under the tutorship of Rachel. The ENF guided that they wanted groups in new countries to form federations in order to join the ENF. British Budo friends gently guided we had to form an association, not a federation (which has different legal connotations in England and Welsh law). In Autumn 2005, an official constitution was drafted for the BNA (largely following the British Kendo Association’s, scaled of course) and Executive Committee volunteers were appointed. A bank account was established putting us as a charitable and non-profit community entity, the official BNA logo was created with assistance from a professional design artist and martial arts insurance was secured (not without its challenges as martial arts insurance could only be secured if a Dan rank was held from an international recognised body for the style being practiced).
2006
During 2006 the London Naginata continued to expand. Students attended ENF and INF seminars, held in Europe to demonstrate our commitment. Membership fees were established for the first time and the fee income was used to set up a club and teacher insurance policy and understood international fees demands would be in the pipeline to formalise Britain’s membership to the ENF and INF as a provisional member. At this point, the association was still really a single dojo association, but it was enough to demonstrate we were serious about joining the ENF and later the INF.
2007-2008
The support that we received from international Atarashii Dan grades living in England was crucial over these two years or so. A Czech Nidan, Belgian Sandan and lastly a Japanese Nidan all came to study in Britain for extended periods and came to the London dojo to practise, lift our standards and became good friends. Practices were further enhanced by teaching from a Tokyo Yondan, who had made England her home & place of work and visited us in London occasionally from Canterbury. In addition, we were visited by a Japanese sensei when they accompanied their husband who visited London to teach Kendo.
2009
The three original founders achieved Nidan and shodans (two) respectively. In November 2009, the ENF voted to give the BNA full membership status. This led to full INF member status the following year.
2010
Great Britain – has fluctuated from the one original dojo, to two or three other dojo at different points in time.