The grading started promptly at 10am.

The successful candidates for 1^st Dan were:

Shelby Kendal and Katherine Gildersleeve from South West Shotokan Karate

Nicole Summers and Lisa Allsop from Yokai Karate

Promoted to  2^nd Dan were:

Charlotte Bane from South West Shotokan Karate

Charlotte Bane, Shelby Kendal and Katherine Gildersleeve

Josh Beck from Griffin Karate Club

Luke Jefferies from the Virgin Active/Clevedon club.

Promoted to 3^rd Dan:

Mark Christie from the Clevedon club.

Members of Clevedon & Virgin Active Luke Jefferies who graded to 2nd Dan and Mark Christie who passed his 3rd Dan at the recent grading

Promoted to 4^th Dan: Dean Moyes from the Colchester club.

Promoted to 5^th Dan: Paul James from the Broadwell club

and also awarded his 5^th Dan was Peter Hopkins from the Great Bently club.

Paul James and Alan Flook

The icing on the cake for everyone there was when the WKU President Mr David Wheatley came forward and presented WKU’s Alan Flook with his 8^th Dan (Hachidan). WKU (and Bristol Karate Club) Chief Instructor, Alan was awarded the prestigious rank for his continuous and tireless dedication to the sport of karate. Many members of the Bristol club had also attended just for this moment and the round of applause went on and on.

I know that all of the WKU will be pleased to hear of this award, though I am not sure if it has yet to “sink in” to Alan himself.

Kevin Barrett