23/06/2026
A fantastic day on Saturday for putting Catfield Higashi firmly on the map.
We spent the afternoon training under a team of first-class instructors, four of whom were 7th Dan black belts, making it a great opportunity to learn and develop.
Two Catfield students attended alongside me. Clare Davies was assessed throughout the day and, as a result of her hard work and determination in some uncomfortably warm conditions, was awarded her Orange Belt.
Daryl Ross was also under scrutiny for the duration and, after returning to karate following a 25-year break and putting in six months of dedicated retraining, was officially awarded his Green Belt.
Both achievements are thoroughly deserved, and while Clare and Daryl are understandably proud of what they have accomplished, I am equally proud of them.
It was also a pleasure to see three former clubmates from my old Maldon club successfully complete their formal gradings and earn higher brown belt grades. Congratulations to Gabriel, Demi and Megan on their excellent performances.
A special thank you to John Spurgeon (5th Dan) from Maldon, who devoted so much time, energy and encouragement to Clare and Daryl throughout the day.
As always, it was lovely to catch up with friends from across the Higashi clubs around the UK. Days like these remind us that karate is about much more than grades alone – it's about shared effort, continuous improvement and being part of a wider community. 👏🥋
