Karate club boasts seventh black belt (From York Press)

Karate club boasts seventh black belt

10:39am Tuesday 8th January 2013 in Sport

IT’S seventh heaven at Haxby Shotokan Karate Club, who are revelling in their seventh black belt exponent at the club.

Lorraine Collins was awarded her black belt (Shodan) by Alan Campbell, chairman of the Japan Karate Shotorenmei of Great Britain and Ireland.

Said Mike Gude, the chief instructor at Haxby KC: “We are very proud of Lorraine’s achievement.

“Lorraine has been training at the club since 2006 and her dedication to karate and the club is outstanding.

“As well as training really hard she is instrumental in running our kids’ karate class, Haxby Karate Kids.”

Despite having seven black belts the club remains a club for all ages and abilities, with members ranging from beginners to black belts and from age five to more than 60.

Club chairman Jim Bamford said there was a keen emphasis on sound training.

He added: “Teaching good quality karate to all abilities is important to our club whether they are beginners or black belts.

“We are keen to encourage new members to the club and we are holding a beginners class on Monday, January 14, from 7pm to 9pm when people can come along and see if karate is for them.”

For more information anyone interested can visit the www.haxbykarate.co.uk website.

Would-be members can also phone 0758 3249115, email info@haxbykarate.co.uk or attend a training session held at at Wigginton Recreation Hall, in Haxby (YO32 2PL), on either a Monday or a Thursday from 7pm to 9pm.

Training times on those two days are – Haxby Karate Kids (ages five to eight years) from 6.30pm to 7.30pm; and (ages eight upwards to adults) from 7pm to 9pm.