Introduction

Clevedon Karate Kai first opened its doors on 16^th October 1992, and has taught the Wado Ryu style of karate in the town for over twenty-six years from that date, beyond the publication of this article, celebrating its silver jubilee in 2017. Chief Instructors Kevin Barrett and Nigel Langson have been the guiding lights of the club from its inception to the present day. They, along with other current and former members, have scoured their memories, photograph albums and newspaper clippings to provide the most comprehensive and authoritative history it has been possible to compile.

 

How Wado Ryu Karate Came to the West

The Wado Ryu style of karate was founded in Japan in 1938 by Hironori Otsuka. In 1963, as part of a worldwide strategy, Otsuka dispatched his closest associate, Tatsuo Suzuki, to London, to promote the style in Britain and Europe. Suzuki formed the British Karate Association (BKA) and began to train others, both Japanese expats and British, to spread Wado Ryu across the country. One of his students, Peter Spanton, having achieved the rank of 4^th dan by 1974, left the BKA to form Higashi Karate Kai. This club thrived and became an association, spreading across the UK through the 1970s and 80s, including to the West Country. Clubs sprang up in Bristol, Weston-Super-Mare, Brean, Yatton, and an earlier club in Clevedon. Peter Spanton trained the association's senior students in London, and travelled the country supervising instruction and gradings, and running courses.

Clevedon's Earlier Karate Club

 

How Kevin and Nigel Became Involved

Kevin, a Bristolian, returning to civilian life after serving in the Royal Navy, began training at Bristol's Centre Karate Club, in the mid-1970s, and graded at Bristol Higashi Karate Club, under Alan Flook, who remains the Chief Instructor of that club to this day. Kevin dropped out for a few years because of family and work commitments. However, moving to Clevedon in 1982, he became acquainted with born and bred Clevedonian Nigel through their respective sons Kevin (Jnr) and Neal playing together in the street, and discovered that Nigel was training with Higashi at Yatton Village Hall under Phil Rogers and Phil McKenzie. Needing no second invitation to return to karate, Kevin joined in. As they became more proficient, Kevin and Nigel attended training once a month in London with Peter Spanton, as well as regular courses in Swindon, Reading and Cheltenham, plus twice-yearly trips to Jersey. They also attended regular training nights more locally, in Burnham, Bristol, Brean and Yatton.

The Establishment of the Club

The closure, in 1992, of the previous Clevedon club left a void in Clevedon. Kevin and Nigel, then both 1^st kyus and having yet to gain their black belts, stepped into the breach, and held the first ever training session of Clevedon Karate Kai on 16^th October 1992, at All Saints Church Hall, then in Meadow Road. People from other local clubs came to support the new club initially, but the local membership mushroomed very quickly. Within a month, over 20 students from Clevedon regularly trained.

Western Karate Union

In early 2003 four clubs, Clevedon, Bristol, Burnham and Oldmixon (Weston-Super-Mare), decided that they wished to go in a different direction than the Higashi association. Those four clubs broke away and formed a new association, the Western Karate Union, named for the area of the country in which they are all situated. Within weeks, the Colchester Traditional Karate Club also resigned from Higashi and joined the WKU. The new association was headquartered at the Bristol Dojo, in Totterdown, and its Chief Instructor was, and at the time of writing still is, Alan Flook, now 8^th dan.

The Chief Instructors

Kevin Barrett

Kevin achieved his 1^st dan on 19^th February 1994 from the Higashi association, under Peter Spanton. He continued to progress through the dan grades as the club prospered, to his current 6^th dan.

As the club grew, and its initial intake continued to gain in proficiency, Kevin, with Nigel, began to attend and coach at many competitions with Clevedon students, and couldn't agree with much of the officiating he saw along the way. Having passed the upper age range for competing by then, he and Nigel decided to get involved in refereeing and judging, in an effort to have some input into the rules and their interpretation. He obtained his earliest qualifications within Higashi, gaining his English kumite judge's badge in 1999 and full refereeing badge in 2001, and his kata badge in 2003. He went on to gain British Karate Federation (BKF) kumite refereeing and kata judging badges. Kevin was also heavily involved in the direction of the WKU from its inception, and remains a member of its executive committee.

Nigel Langson

Nigel achieved his 1^st dan on 25^th February 1995 from Higashi, under Peter Spanton and, like Kevin, has continued to progress through the grades to his current 6^th dan. Also like Kevin, he became involved in competition officiating, obtaining an English-level kumite judge's badge through Higashi in 2002 and a full kumite refereeing badge from the EKF in 2007. He also went on to become a BKF-qualified referee. Nigel has also served on the WKU executive from its beginnings to the present.

The Students

Ross Clarke

Although officially a student of the Yatton club, Ross also trained with Clevedon, and is considered to be the first Clevedon Karate Kai student to achieve his black belt, in early 1993, aged only twelve or thirteen, while Kevin and Nigel were still 1^st kyus.

Kevin Barrett Jnr

Kevin Jnr had trained with his father at Yatton for a while, and was a member of the Clevedon club from its opening session. Kevin Jnr was selected for the Higashi national squad, and following the change of association, the WKU national squad. Unfortunately, his karate career was hampered by a long-term knee injury, first sustained in 1997 while roller-booting. However, he and Rory Daniels (see below) became the first students who had been brought through the kyu grades by the Clevedon club to be awarded their black belts, in Bristol on 12^th July 1998, under Peter Spanton.

Rory Daniels

Rory was a friend of Kevin Jnr, who brought him along to the Clevedon club's second ever training session. Rory also graded for his black belt on 12^th July 1998, and was selected for the Higashi and WKU national kumite squads. Rory moved to Bristol Karate Club in 1998 because of the specialist kumite training it offered. His subsequent domination of the national karate scene for over fifteen years is borne out by the fact that, despite having personally researched and compiled a full list of his own achievements for this history, he is not certain that he has been able to remember everything he won. What follows, however, is the most accurate record that it has been possible to assemble.

He completely dominated the English Karate Federation (EKF) national championships, taking gold for thirteen of the fourteen years from 1997 to 2010, at least ten times in the under 75kg category, and five times at over 84kg. This included golds at both senior and under-21 level in 2002. He won the under 75kg or over 84kg category in the British Karate Federation (BKF) national championships of 2000, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008. He was the number one fighter for the all-conquering WKU squads which won the EKF team kumite championships of 2004, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014, and the BKF championships 2008. In each of the first three Commonwealth Karate Federation championships, held in Manchester (2003), Wellington, New Zealand (2005) and Edinburgh (2008), Rory won gold in both the individual kumite categories (under 75kg in 2003 and 2005, over 84kg in 2008), and as part of the victorious EKF teams.

He fought in three under-21 and five senior European Karate Federation championships, achieving four fourth-placed finishes in individual under 75kg kumite, team silvers at Sofia in 2001 and Bremen in 2003 and team bronze at Tallinn in 2002. At the very highest level, he fought in five World Karate Federation (WKF) championships, which are held bi-annually. He was part of EKF teams that won silver in Madrid in 2002 and bronze in Munich in 2000 and Tampere, Finland in 2006, and finished fourth in the individual under 75kg category in the 2002 Madrid championships. His finest moment, however, came in the November 2004 WKF championships in Monterrey, Mexico. In the individual open weight kumite category, he defeated a succession of top class international fighters, including France's three-time European champion Seydina Baldé in the final, to be crowned world champion.

In addition to all these championship honours, Rory fought all over the world as part of the EKF squad for international matches from 1998 to 2008, and won kumite medals in numerous international open competitions, including gold in the Venice Cup in 1997, gold, silver, and bronze in the Paris Open in 2003, 2000 and 2002 respectively, and silver in the Dutch Open in 2002. It almost goes without saying that Rory has won so much silverware in regional and local competition that, even if it were possible to compile a full list, it would be impractical to publish it here. He now coaches at Bristol Karate Club, with the WKU squad, and as the EKF southern and south-west regional kumite coach. Most Clevedonians remain unaware that their sleepy seaside town has produced one of this country's most gifted and successful martial artists. Hopefully his inclusion in this history will go some way to rectifying that.

Sarah Leakey

Sarah, like Kevin Jnr and Rory, was selected for the Higashi national squad, and, aged 14, was shortlisted for the title of Somerset Sportswoman of the Year in 1998. On 2^nd July 2000, she became the first female student of Clevedon Karate Kai to be awarded her black belt. In the same year, she was selected to compete in the world championships in Valencia, Spain.

Polly Smith

Achieving 1^st dan in karate is a huge achievement for anyone. When Polly Smith did it, on 16^th June 2001, it was exceptional, and a triumph of true karate spirit. Polly suffers from Phenylketonuria (PKU), a condition where an enzyme that breaks down otherwise dangerous amounts of protein flowing to the brain, is missing. It can only be controlled through strict adherence to a very low-protein diet. Even with the correct diet, it affects memory, and the lack of protein inhibits physical strengthening. As a result, it was more difficult for Polly than for anyone else both to learn techniques, and to carry them out. She was told by doctors, in 1996, that it would be pointless for her to take up karate, but she joined Clevedon Karate Kai anyway. Five years later she proved them all wrong and graded for her black belt. Throughout that time, she had to be held back rather than pushed, such was her commitment. Just one example of this was an England Wado Kai Open Championship where she competed in team kata with a rupture, so as not to let her team mates down. Of all the students to have come through to dan grade with Clevedon Karate Kai, she is perhaps the most inspirational.

Shaun Langson

Shaun, the younger of Nigel's two sons, also trained at Yatton before the Clevedon Club started, and was therefore also one of the original members. He achieved his black belt on 22^nd June 2002, in London, under Peter Spanton. Shaun was first selected for the WKU national squad as a junior in 2002, then as a senior in 2006, and like Rory, was a fixture in its EKF championships team kumite triumphs in 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and captaining the winning teams in 2013 and 2014. Those six wins in a row is a record that will probably never be beaten. In the British Karate Federation (BKF) championships, with the WKU team he won junior team gold in 2004, and senior team golds in 2006 and 2011, and team gold in the Commonwealth Championships in 2008.

Shaun also competed internationally, being selected for the English Karate Governing Body (later Karate England, then the EKF) national squad for the World Karate Federation Championships in Cyprus in 2005, which he didn't make because his jaw was broken in a contest at the British National Championships at Sheffield just a couple of weeks beforehand. He was, however, fit again and selected for the 2006 European Karate Championships in Serbia/Montenegro, in which he reached the quarter-final. After so many team golds, the high point of Shaun's karate career as an individual, came in the 2013 British International Open Championships, when he took individual gold in the under-75kg kumite category. Shaun has also won the Welsh Open, and other regional competitions too numerous to mention, at individual level and with the WKU team.

Chelsie Ware

Chelsie started training with Clevedon Karate Kai on 23^rd May 2001, aged six. She progressed so quickly that, on 5^th November 2005 at Bristol Dojo she became the club's, and indeed WKU's youngest ever black belt, aged just ten, a record that still stands. Talented across the karate disciplines, she was a regular selection for WKU national squads in both kata and kumite, and amassed more than 120 trophies and medals in regional and national competitions. Her greatest achievements include competing in the Commonwealth Open Championships at Edinburgh in 2008, defeating the English Karate Federation no.1 Aimee Sell to win the Welsh Open in October 2010, and taking second place in kumite in the British Karate Federation Championship of 2006. She was invited to train with the England national squad on numerous occasions, but never achieved full selection. She also later demonstrated good coaching ability at the club, and in assisting Bath University's kata team.

Michael Dean (Dino)

Dino, as everyone knows him, is perhaps the most constant part of the club's furniture, apart from Kevin and Nigel themselves. He became involved because of his mother's association with All Saints Church, whose hall was the club's first home. He first came through the doors on 5^th February 1993. He graded to black belt on 9^th July 2006, and has since progressed to 3^rd dan.

The Dojos

All Saints Hall

Clevedon Karate Kai held its first ever training session in the hall on the corner of Meadow Road and Old Street, which was then the All Saints Church Hall, also known for many years as the "Little Theatre" and which has been run under several other guises since. All Saints' new church hall, next to the church itself, was opened in late 1993, and the club immediately moved its Friday night session there. The club still conducts its main session of the week there, every Friday, to this day.

Kwik Save Hall

Kevin and Nigel had been thinking of adding a second night for some time, and in June 2001 they became aware that the spacious Kwik Save Hall, off Southern Way, had become available on a Wednesday evening. This became the main night for a while in 1993 when the old All Saints hall began to undergo building work before the new one was ready. During the time it was used, the Kwik Save Hall saw some club gradings of over 90 students and this period, the early and mid-2000s, in terms of numbers, has been, so far, the heyday of the club. In 2007 the Kwik Save supermarket chain went into administration, and the Clevedon store was closed. The hall, owned and run by the local council, was still used by the club for about a year after this, but in 2008 the council began working on a scheme for a new hospital to be built on the site. To save maintenance costs, the building was closed in 2008, and in 2010 sold to NHS North Somerset. In 2012 the hospital plan was abandoned, and the building was finally demolished in 2013.

 

The Statistics

Black Belts

Students who make it all the way through the kyu grades to be awarded the rank of 1^st dan are very much the exception. Over its first twenty-six years, Clevedon Karate Kai has licensed an estimated seven hundred and thirty students. Forty-three (6%) have achieved 1^st dan. Fourteen club members (1.6%) have gone on to achieve 2^nd dan, and only seven (1%) 3rd dan. Only Kevin and Nigel, both now 6^th dan, and Ann Barrett, now 4^th dan, have gone further than that.

Kyu Grades

These statistics are only available from the beginning of WKUs computer records in 2003, and do not include Esporta/Virgin Active/Nuffield Health members. A total of 363 students have been registered as members of Clevedon Karate Kai (including all existing students at the time records began). The graph above shows what percentage of students have earned each grade, demonstrating the steadily increasing degree of difficulty.

Families

At any Clevedon Karate Kai training session, you will find family members training together. This goes right through the grades, and well over a third of the club's dan grades have a family member who is also a black belt.

Parents and Children

Kevin (Snr), Ann and Kevin (Jnr) Barrett

Nigel and Shaun Langson

Clive and Katie Golding-Ellis

Camilla and Matthew Hutchings

Siblings

Polly and Will Smith

Chris and John Green

Luke and Max Jefferies

The Rolls of Honour

Dan Grades

A list of the dates of all dan grades awarded to students who were members of Clevedon Karate Kai at the time of the award. Note that some, e.g. Rory Daniels and Shaun Langson at Bristol, have achieved further dan grades after moving to other clubs, which are not shown here. Similarly, some have come to Clevedon from other clubs already holding dan grades, hence some gaps at 1^st and 2^nd dan below.

Name	1st Dan	2nd Dan	3rd Dan
Kevin Barrett	19/02/94	20/04/96	24/04/99
Nigel Langson	25/02/95	28/06/97	24/06/00
Ann Barrett	10/08/02	22/10/05	03/10/09
Name	4th Dan	5th Dan	6th Dan
Kevin Barrett	21/11/04	29/11/09	11/12/16
Nigel Langson	22/10/05	12/12/10	11/12/16
Ann Barrett	11/12/16
Name	1st Dan	2nd Dan	3rd Dan
Kevin Barrett Jnr	12/07/98
Rory Daniels	12/07/98
Adam Yeomans	11/07/99
Sarah Leakey	02/07/00
Clive Golding-Ellis	02/07/00
Polly Smith	16/06/01
Katie Golding-Ellis	01/07/01
Will Smith	23/02/02
Shaun Langson	22/06/02	04/07/04	08/07/07
Martin Dunkley	04/07/04
Mel Crew	03/07/05
Stuart Richings	03/07/05
Chelsie Ware	05/11/05	19/07/09
Michael Dean	09/07/06	19/07/09	06/12/15
Jessica Adams	09/07/06
Daniel Williams	19/11/06
Chris Green	08/07/07	19/07/09
Zara Thomas	18/11/07
Jenny May	06/07/08
Simon Rudge	06/07/08
Edward Emmanuel			06/07/08
Stephen LeFevre		16/11/08
Grace Ball	19/07/09
Charles Vaughan	29/11/09
Carey Frost		04/07/10
Camilla Hutchings	12/12/10	01/07/18
Matthew Hutchings	12/12/10
Luke Jefferies	12/12/10	06/07/14
Tony Filer	15/07/12
Max Morch-Monstead	07/07/13
Robert Porteous	07/07/13
Bhavana Tallam	07/12/14
Isobel Holloway	07/12/14
Ben Smart	07/12/14
Lizzie Haines	07/12/14
Max Jefferies	05/07/15
John Green	05/07/15	09/12/18
Lewis Cocking	06/12/15	01/07/18
Donna Robertson	03/07/16
Sarah Meredith	03/07/16

Student of the Year

The Senior and Junior Student of the Year awards were introduced to encourage the most dedicated and committed of students, irrespective of their level of ability. The recipients are listed here.

Senior

Year	Name	Year	Name
1993	Michael Dean	1994	Ann Barrett
1995	Angela Searle	1996	Rory Daniels
1998	Kevin Barrett Jnr
1999	Wanda Phillips	2000	Sharon Froude
2001	Stuart Richings	2002	Neil Dimery
2003	Shaun Langson	2004	Jonathan Kemp
2005	Chris Green	2006	Michael Dean
2007	James Brooks-Hulin	2008	Simon Rudge
2009	Camilla Hutchings
2012	Pete Fortune
2014	John Green
2015	Lizzie Haines

Junior

Year	Name	Year	Name
1993	Jamie Fry	1994	Alexandra Milne
1995	Paul Dando	1996	Jamie Withyman
1997	Sarah Leakey	1998	Adam Yeomans
1999	Helena Bunce	2000	Danielle Froude
2001	Shaun Langson	2002	Polly Smith
2003	Will Smith	2004	Chelsie Ware
2005	Jess Adams	2006	Daniel Williams
2007	Thomas Chorlton	2008	Bradley Thomas
2009	Chelsie Ware	2010	Matthew Hutchings
2011	Lizzie Haines	2012	Louis Williams
2013	Lewis Cocking	2014	Piotr Oselka
2015	Taijan Dean

From 2017 the two awards were amalgamated into a single Student of the Year award.

Year	Name	Year	Name
2017	George Guiver	2018	John Watton

The Future

Thank you for reading this history of the first twenty-six years of Clevedon Karate Kai. A look around the club's website tells you that it continues to thrive. Its longevity has meant that we have in recent years seen students such as Donna Robertson, who trained with the club when she was younger, return once her children had grown up and pick up where she left off. She went on to achieve 1^st dan, after a gap in training spanning a couple of decades. We now have a number of students competing at every opportunity in local events. With youngsters continuing to start from scratch, and a strong body of younger instructors to take the club into the future, we sincerely hope to be completing a history of the first fifty years in 2042!