Grading Instructor

Sensei Garry Harford

Garry was born in Salford, Manchester on the 21st of April 1960. He was first introduced to Karate in 1972 at KNK Karate Club, Ardwick, Manchester. He took his Kyu gradings under Sensei Sherry. Garry graded to first Dan on 14th March 1976 under Sensei Enoeda.

His introduction to Karate competition was in the last BKCC All Styles Championships in 1977. Garry was selected as a member of the first Junior KUGB Squad and competed at the 1980 European Senior and Junior Championships held in Bregenz, Austria, at which he won 1st place in the Junior Team Kata and also 1st place in the Senior Kata. He was also part of the Team Kumite winners. His list of achievements also include 1st place in Kata and Kumite in the Shotokan Cup and EKB All Styles Kumite Champion in 1987. Garry was also a KUGB team member that won the EKB in 1985-88 inclusive. He is very proud of the fact that he was a member of the team that for many years dominated European Championships.

The highlight of his career was being a member of the team that won the 1990 World Shotokan Championships held in Sunderland.

As a fighter, Garry was very aware of his compact build and worked extremely hard on his speed and timing. Being very agile, he would maximize his kicking ability by making use of Mawashi-geri Chudan and spinning Ushiro-Mawashi-geri.

As an Instructor, Garry's personal sense of fulfilment was achieved in 1988 when his club team Poynton SKC, won the KUGB National Championships after reaching 3rd place in the 2 preceding years.

Whilst a member of the Junior Squad it was Sensei Sherry’s sheer energy and determination had an enormous impact on him which enabled him to develop his strengths in and out of Karate. Even today, whilst training under Sensei Sherry he still feels that very same energy which made him always want to perform of to the best of his ability.

Visiting Instructor

Sensei Jill Kelly

Sensei Jill Kelly is currently 5th Dan K.U.G.B black belt and a highly respected member of throughout the U.K. Sensei Jill began training at Ashington Karate Club, at Ashington Leisure centre, in the mid 1985. Initially, Jill brought her son Gordon to train at the club. Having sat and watched four or five sessions, she decided to "give it a go" with a view to improving her fitness and flexibility even further. This was to purely benefit her major interests; horses, Eventing and County badminton.

Following a serious riding accident and several months of rehabilitation, Jill found that Karate training strengthened her back and allowed her, once again, to participate in an "active sport".

Riding remains a pleasure, however Karate became serious. Jill applied the same enthusiasm, discipline and hard work to her karate that was necessary in the eventing world.

Jill began her competitive Karate as a green belt at Gateshead Leisure Centre Open competition, winning her Kata category, much to the delight of her instructors. She was not yet allowed to enter Kumite competition - being "too much of a liability"! Plenty of courage but only one direction - forward !

As a Brown Belt, Jill was successful in both Kata and Kumite, winning numerous local competitions. As a Black Belt and during five years of competition in the Shotokan cup, she was always a finalist, competing against former World Champions, Julie Nicholson and Christine Pullen, National Champion Karen Findlay and many other National and International squad members.

Jill regards her most memorable competitive performance as becoming 1991 Grand Champion at the Northern Region Championships. Having won both Kata and Kumite individual events, she was the first woman in the region to be awarded the trophy for Best Overall Competitor.