Started Training in 1975 in Kitwe, Zambia under South African 3rd Dan Sensei Spike Hovelmeier. Break in training from 1979 while attending University, serving in the British Army Reserve and work commitments at adidas until 1989.

Started Training again as a white belt in 1989 with Sensei John Cheetham 5th Dan in Lymm Dojo as part of the Sensei Kato’s Kodokai Karate Association. Graded to 1 st Kyu in this Association. Attempted Shodan with Sensei Kato but was not successful in 1995.

1 st Dan was taken and passed with Kawazoe Sensei in 1997. After Sensei Cheetham moved Association to U.K.T.K.F.

Sensei Cheetham is extremely well known and highly regarded in the Shotokan Karate world. I was extremely fortunate then and continue to be even now, to train with many of the world-renowned Sensei that would visit the Dojo and on courses in the UK. Apart from my Sensei Cheetham the main influences’ on my karate comes from Sensei Clare Worth. Some of the internationally renowned Sensei’s I have trained with are Sensei’s Amos, Kato, Kagawa and Kawazoe to name a few.

2nd Dan was taken and passed with Sensei John Mullin of WTKO in 2005. Sensei Cheetham’s Dojo in Lymm is not affiliated to any Association (as the editor of SKM he felt it important to be separate from any political association) and most of my fellow students had no real interest in further grading mostly being 3 rd Dan or above. I was the most junior student as a Nidan which is highly unusual to say the least. In 2018 I decided that I would start training for my Sandan. This meant I would need to find and train at a club that was a member of an association. I started looking for a Traditional Shotokan club near me that had the right ethos. After talking to Sensei Cheetham, it was decided to approach Sensei Needham and I joined the Red Sun Karate club which was affiliated to the WTKO. I would try to train as regularly as possible while maintaining my 3 times a week at the Lymm Dojo. My grading was to be with Amos Sensei WTKO Chief instructor and the first European to complete the infamous JKA’s instructors’ program in Japan. I attempted my Sandan grading in 2019 after a two-day course and failed. It was a great learning experience. We all know what happened in 2020 and 21 but I carried on training as best I could. In 2022 I tried again and learnt even more, so in 2023 I finally managed to meet the standard required. The whole process of preparing for a grading of this level forces you to go to a much deeper into the art.

After my Sandan grading I decided that I should try and give something back to the club and to Sensei Needham who had been so inspirational and encouraging to me on my recent Karate journey and help with the instruction at Red Sun Karate Club.

I have never been interested in sport Karate and have no real interest in competitions. I prefer to concentrate on more traditional aspects of the art. I enjoy Kata and basics as well as impact work on bags and Makiwara as well as sparing in class.