Amanda Osman

The Sensei Tony Hunns Award for Excellence and Commitment (Senior Grade) and Sensei Dave Meyrick Award for Excellence and Commitment (Junior Grade)

A little bit more of a background on how these awards came about for those who are unaware:

My Dad, Tony Hunns, started his martial arts journey as a late teen in the style of Gojo-Ryu, which led onto training in the style of Wado-Ryu where he and my god-father Ev McGrath started their own club together which they both ran for many years. When our club closed in the early 2000’s, Dad having trained in karate since the late 60’s/early 70’s, wanted to carry on training but perhaps in a different but similar style to Wado-Ryu. Thankfully he found this club in 2004, and after a few sessions, I joined along with him. Dad absolutely loved training here and hated missing a training night! He made some very special friendships along the way, especially with Mick and Malc. Dad spent most of his adult life committed to karate, up until the day he sadly died in 2012. His very last night with us, was a training night. He later passed away in his sleep after suffering a heart attack.

So, to honour Dad’s commitment and passion to his many years of karate training and teaching we wanted to do something in his memory, and that is how the idea for Dad’s award came about. Unfortunately, another one of the club’s Dan Grades, Dave Meyrick, passed away shortly after Dad. Along with Dave’s family, Mick and Malc, we decided to make two awards – one for Senior Grades and one for Junior Grades to honour both of their memories and commitment to the club/karate.

It has been an honour, but a bitter-sweet one, to present these awards every year on behalf of my family, Dad, Dave and the club to an adult/junior grade who has shown both excellence and commitment every year since 2012.

On behalf of my family, to my karate family, congratulations to every single one of you has received this very special award