Master Derek Fung began training with Grandmaster Yip Man in 1953, at the age of 13. His aunty, who wanted to ensure that her nephew was healthy and did not join the delinquent youths that were running rampant in Hong Kong, first sent him to Buddhist monks for gentle training. The Buddhist monks referred him on to Grandmaster Yip Man.

Amongst Grandmaster Yip Man's students that Derek trained with during the 1950s were Bruce Lee and Wong Shun Leung, who made Wing Chun well-known in Hong Kong. But it was the legendary Bruce Lee who helped make Wing Chun famous by using the technique in his films, and telling people that he learnt from Grandmaster Yip Man.

Derek would train every day, seven days a week with the Grandmaster, who took him under his wing and told him, "you don't have to be a gangster to be strong, but you have to be strong within yourself". Since 1953, Derek hasn't missed a day of training, and ritualistically practices the form.

After a mere six months of training with Mr Yip Man, Derek was ready to challenge martial artists from other disciplines. He fought against men twice his age, and never lost a fight. When Derek challenged men twice his age; there were no rules, no protective gear and it was full-contact combat. Furthermore, there was no age or weight division in combat. Derek attributes this to the close-range style of fighting characteristic of Wing Chun. After beating opponents from every other style of martial arts, Derek decided that Wing Chun was the unbeatable technique, and set out to further master the art.

Derek came to Australia as a student in the 1950's. Although involved in other businesses, he gave lessons to a lucky few. In 1990 he increased his private training to six students then open class. Sifu Derek's classes are open to all serious students of Wing Chun. SIFU'S only prerequisite being "respect and discipline".