Newport IOW Shotokan Karate Club
Newport IOW Shotokan Karate » Instructors
In 1974, when Mick was 19, he decided to do something to get fit and joined a Karate club at Carisbrooke high school. Sensei's Mick Dewey & Phil Elliot were instructing at the club and it was affiliated to the K.U.G.B (Karate Union Great Britain) On July 14th 1974 Mick entered his first grading under Sensei Tomita. In those days there were no orange or red belts (Obi) they were white with one red tag for 9th kyu and white with two red tags for 8th kyu. Also there was no Kihon Kata (Basic Forms) he had to perform Heian Shodan Kata for 9th & 8th Kyu, So the students were not classed as a coloured belt until they had graded at 7th Kyu (Yellow Belt). Mick did not do any more training for the next five years due to family commitments. In 1979 he decided to return to the club, The Sensei at this time was Dave March 1st Dan and Malc Bradley, who was a 1st Kyu, and assisting him. Mick soon got back into his training and on June 16th 1979 he graded for 8th Kyu at Sandown Karate club. Sensei Ernie Rudge, who had been training at the Carisbrooke club, had opened a club at Sandown and to keep the cost down they had grading's at alternative clubs. This was a good idea as students were always paired up with a member from the Sandown club for the grading. Sensei Tomita was still taking the grading's. Mick carried on training and grading every three months and achieved his 1st Kyu (Brown Belt) on 26th September 1981 again under Sensei Tomita. Mick was now helping Sensei Malc Bradley with the teaching at the club but at this time there was no Black belt at the club. But in March 1983 along with Sensei Malc they both graded successfully for their Sho-Dan (1st Degree Black Belt). Mick then graded for his Ni-Dan in June 1986, San-Dan in September 2008 Yon-Dan in January 2017 and in March 2022 he was awarded his Go-Dan. Sensei Mick has also trained with many different instructors over the years and he has found that he can learn something different from all of them. He has been Secretary and Treasury of Newport Karate Club for the past 40 yrs. ​
Andy started his training in 1993, several decades after karate had been firmly established within England. On the invitation of a work colleague and high school friend, who was a green belt at the time, and without any preconceptions as to what he was entering into, or even the style of karate that he was to practice, he commenced his karate career. Entering his first dojo (training hall) at eighteen years of age, his story follows a similar line as many others. He had always been interested in the martial arts having been introduced to Bruce Lee’s Enter the Dragon and television’s Kung Fu at an early age, but had been too shy to join a club as a child. At a pivotal moment in his life, Andy was looking for something to focus his attention on and he found it. Training 3 or 4 time a week, Andy’s initial motivation was self-defence, but he soon discovered Karate was about so much more. Thirty years later, self-defence remains a fundamental motivator, but it’s been balanced by other positive factors that keep him returning to the dojo. Essentially, factors that provide a firm foundation and structure to daily life – respect, discipline, friendship, trust, personal development and physical fitness. Shotokan Karate-do has become a staple part of his life. Andy achieved shodan (1st dan blackbelt) in 1997, achieved nidan (2nd dan) and became an English Karate Governing Body (EKGB) coach in 2000. He achieved sandan (3rd dan) in 2003 and yondan (4th dan) in 2011. Over the years Andy has had the opportunity to train with some exceptional karate instructors and instructors in other martial arts and assimilates new learning into his training wherever possible. He has instructed a wide range of students and enjoys making karate accessible and beneficial to all ages and abilities.  Andy has competed regularly during his career and became Shotokan of England Karate Union individual and team kumite champion in 2019. He joined Newport IoW Shotokan Karate Club in 2013 and continues to enjoy instructing and regular practical, challenging training with his club mates and students.
I became attracted to karate after watching my sons practice back in 1990. At the age of 40 I assumed that I was too old to start but after talking to their instructor Mark Elliot  at the Fitness Factory I took the decision to start. As with most activities when watching it seemed to be quite straightforward but when practicing this was not the case. Getting the whole of the body to work as a unit is not simple when the movement of arms and legs are totally different than everyday movements. On reflection I believe that is part of the reason why I took up karate. After a short while I was hooked and began training 3 or 4 sessions a week. When karate courses were available with senior instructors I started to attend them with a keeness and passion that lead me to wanting more and more. Along with other club members I regularly attended the Brown & Black belt courses held by our SEKU instructors Sensei Mick Dewey, Dave Hazard, Mervyn O’Donnell and Brian Smith held on the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and the West Country. The keeness I experienced also took me to travel for courses held by Sensei Ticky Donovan OBE for his annual 6 day Gasshaku, trips to France for courses with Dave Hazard as chief instructor and on numerous trips to Nottingham for weekend courses held by Sensei Dave Hazard & Aidan Trimble. I also attended courses with Sensei Higuana, Terry O’Neill, Malcolm Phipps and John Richards. Every one of these instructors mentioned has a wealth of knowledge and experience in karate and I can honestly say have influenced me not only in my karate life but also in my everyday life. I achieved my Shodan (1st Black Belt) in September 1993 In 1998 I passed the grading exam to reach Nidan (2nd Dan) and became a SEKU instructor in 2002 I went on to attain the level of Yondan (4thDan) in 2011 In all of my karate years I have enjoyed the competition side and it was while at these competitions that I met Malc Bradley and Mick Lambert. Talk was all about karate and it was on the ferry returning to the island Malc said to me “You’re welcome to join our club if you want “ and so that is how myself and several others became not just members of Newport Karate Club but friends with Malc and Mick. That was in March 2013 and in doing so it invigorated me yet again. I compare karate to learning to drive. You start with very basic instructions and gradually improve. After each stage of learning you advance (grading). Eventually after a certain level of competence is achieved you pass your test (Black belt grading). This most people assume is the finished result but as many senior karateka know is just the beginning. Passing the driving exam doesn’t mean that you’re a good driver,  it means you’ve reached a level of competence. This is exactly the same for martial arts. There is so much more to learn and experience and this only learnt through regular training, so for anybody wanting to learn martial arts be prepared to work hard and train regularly.
I started my Karate life in 1979 at the age of 8, A friend of mine Dean McConville had already started and told me to come along. Myself and my sister both joined the club at Carisbrooke High School it was then a club run by the KUGB federation. We had what you can call a sister club at Sandown high school run by Ernie Rudge. When I joined Carisbrooke, it was run by Sensei Dave March and Brian Elderfield but this came to an end and eventually Sensei Malc Bradley And Sensei Mick Lambert took over. My first 2 belts were 9th kyu and 8th kyu these in those days were 1 red stripe on a white belt then 2 red stripes, now being Orange and Red, you then moved onto yellow, green, purple etc, etc. We were graded up to 1st kyu by Sensei Tomita. Sensei Tomita was you could say Sensei Enoedas right hand man. In 1982 Sensei Mick Dewey decided to pull away from KUGB and formed SEKU. We entered the first SEKU Competition I came away with my first trophy with 3rd in Kata and Dean with a trophy in kumite, It was then myself and my friend Dean went for trials to get in to the SEKU Junior Squad and we were successful. In 1983 we went to a SEKU Championship me, and Dean were in the Squad, this day we fought Wales with a 5 man team down to 2-2 Dean was last man up and bless him he was a lively soul and got disqualified. On the 3rd of July 1983 after months of intensive training from Sensei Malc Bradley and Sensei Mick Lambert I travelled down to Brighton with my dad and Sensei Malc and gained my Junior Sho-dan (1st). At the age of 15 I slowly drifted away from karate not to return for a few years. By the time I returned for a very brief spell in 1998 the club had moved to St Georges off Watergate road and was now called Newport IOW Shotokan Karate Club. I had 2 or 3 brief visits and thought that was it. My Son Connor was born in 2009 and when he was 7 I decided to take him to Karate and there was only one place I was taking him. I sat and watched for a couple of sessions whilst getting abuse for not joining in by sensei Malc and Sensei Mick so eventually I conceded so in 2016 my Karate life was reborn at the age of 45. After 2 years of training and I think realizing I was back for good Sensei Malc asked me if I wanted to go for my Ni-dan (2nd) I said yes, so after another 6 months we started some intensive training and on the 10th of February 2019 I gained my Ni-dan, also by this time Connor had gained his 1st kyu and after Covid successfully gained his Sho-Dan at the age 13 and many winning medals at SEKU Competitions. I even won a silver team medal myself in 2019 along with my club members. Towards the end of 2021 Sensei Malc Bradley asked me if I wanted to go for my San-dan (3rd) I agreed, we had barely got started when tragedy struck and sadly Sensei Malc Bradley suddenly died, this was a massive shock to all and massive miss for the club and its members and obviously his family. Thankfully we had Sensei Mick Lambert and he carried on bringing the club through its hardest days. After 6 Months Sensei Mick asked me if I was wanting to go for it and go for my San-dan so I agreed. I was put on the spot every session beasted every session and on the 19th of November 2022 I was successful in gaining my San-dan. This was a team effort along with all the senior grades and that was what the club is about Team Effort. I would like now to go on in 4 years’ time and attempt my Yon-dan along with helping Sensei Mick in any way with the club. Simon Barnes