Father and son to be recognised for promotion to 4th Dan Master in Tang Soo Do

A father and son duo who have made it to the esteemed rank of 4th Dan Master in Tang Soo Do will be officially recognised at a prestigious ceremony tomorrow (March 8).

Brett (52), of Bury, and Harris Nelson (24) of Chadderton, are set to come under the spotlight to celebrate their remarkable milestone at Bury Grammar School. 

Harris, who began his martial arts journey at just six years old, has become one of the youngest Masters in the UK.  

Training to become a 4th Dan (Sa Bom Nim/Master) takes a minimum of 12 years, with four years dedicated towards preparing for the grueling test, which was held in October 2024. 

Tomorrow (Saturday) will be the final element of the exam which will include teaching a seminar. 

Together, the Nelsons have dedicated years to training and building strong community-focused programs at their Oldham and Prestwich centres, fostering inclusion and cultural exchange—particularly within the Jewish community in Prestwich and the Muslim community in Oldham. 

In Oldham, Harris has been instrumental in delivering community taster classes alongside Oldham Council, promoting being active in the community. 

He has taught curriculum enrichment classes to students at Oldham College and if that was not enough, he has also run martial arts classes for Muslim women and girls. 

“Achieving 4th Dan in Tang Soo Do is not just about mastering techniques - it’s about leadership, responsibility, and guiding the next generation of martial artists,” said a senior representative of Family Martial Arts Centres.  

“These 10 new Masters embody everything we stand for: discipline, respect, and the commitment to self-improvement.” 

As well as the father and son duo, eight other new masters have also been promoted to the prestigious 4th rank. 

Each of these new Masters will continue to inspire students and uphold the rich philosophy of Tang Soo Do.  

Anyone inspired by this achievement and looking to train with these newly promoted Masters can visit www.familymartialartscentres.com or call 07811 006469 to book a free trial class.