The first Black & Brown Belt Course and Dan Grading of 2026 took place at the National Sports Centre, Lilleshall under the expert instruction of Sensei Billy Higgins (8th Dan) and Sensei Frank Brennan (8th Dan).
The packed classes were detailed, challenging, and packed with technical insight across kata, kihon, and kumite. Those in attendance were reminded of just how fortunate we are, as an organisation, to have access to instructors of this calibre who continue to set and uphold the highest standards of Shotokan Karate.
Well done to everyone who trained, and congratulations to those who successfully graded.
Shodan
Zoe Howells – Aberdare
Maureen Gallacher – Wolves SKC
Richard Bates – Pegasus Wingfoot
Karl Colin – Merthyr Tydfil
Darren Tierney – Okami SKC
Jon Tatley – Wolves SKC
Matthew Johnston – Okami SKC
Jack Morris – Formby SKC
Teika Bellamy – South Notts
Mae Subade – Wolves SKC
Aysha Usman-Daud – Sale
Maaria Daud – Sale
Maggie Lamb – St Johns
Kathryn Mcarthur – Hutton Shotokan
Nihira Gailwad – Hale
Lilly Hill – Regashi KA
Sienna-Louise Sullivan – Okami SKC
Lilia Ahmed – St Johns
Shivan Tarpara – Solihull KA
Tiago Moakes – Shotokan KA
Tharan Gunendran – Hale
Rian Murrin – Solihull KA
Louis Cox – Solihull KA
Harrison Gauder – Solihull KA
Adam Dahsulja – Solihull KA
Jerome Bellamy – South Notts
Aiden Martin – Hale
David John David III – Wolves SKC
Dea Ivanova – West Yorkshire KA
Ieuan Evans – Solihull KA
Sami Abdulnabi – Hale
Kati Wood – Chesterfield SKC
Nidan
Leo Farr – Merthyr Tydfil
Mohammed Alaoui Abdellaoui – St Johns
Oliver Thomas – Merthyr Tydfil
Olly Hayward – Solihull KA
Shivyan Mashru – Solihull KA
Aarush Dayanand – Solihull KA
Ben Grobler – Solihull KA
Louis Ip – Solihull KA
Georgia Burton – Hutton SKC
Avni Ghataora – Solihull KA
Emelia Fox – St Johns
Graham Moor – Sendai Kushiro
Spencer Deakin – Senshuken
