Trevor started his Karate training in 1977, when he was taken along to a Karate class by his sister Elaine. She had gone along to what was started as a self- defence for women class, but was later was opened up to men and changed to Karate tuition. The classes were taught by Sensei Trevor Hughes from the Tiverton club.
He took his first Kyu grade inJanuary 1979 with Sensei Sherry, who has taken most of his kyu grading’s, but he was also lucky enough to train with and be graded by Japanese instructor Sensei Tomita on two of his visits to the UK. The whole club had to travel 45 miles to Barnstaple to grade every three to six months.
When Trevor had started to progress through the grades, he started teaching weekly in Cullompton.
In 1980 Trevor won the Novice to 4th Kyu Kata event at the South West Championship,
In 1982 Trevor successfully graded for his black belt under Sensei Enoeda and the week after the grading Trevor Hughes passed on complete responsibility for the Cullompton club to him. He has taught nearly every week, twice a week since then!
In 1986 he won the Black Belt Kata at the South West Championships and came 2nd in the Kumite. In1988 he gained his Nidan with Sensei Sherry. He has always travelled to the South West, Southern and National championships and began helping to o ciate long before he was quali ed. He later attended the Referee and Judge’s course and was successful at the Judges examination in 1995, and Referee in 1997.
He successfully graded for his Sandan in April 1997 and passed his instructor quali cation in April 1998. In 1999 he became the instructor at Exeter University club. He passed his Yondan in 2002, also in this year he was appointed as an assessor on the instructor quali cation programme.
In 2004 he again entered the Southern Region Championships and achieved 4th place in Kumite
In March 2007 Trevor passed his Godan, and in April 2015 he passed his Rokudan. He has been teaching for 36 years and has seen many students through to Dan grades, with several success- ful at Sandan and above.
Trevor’s wife Valerie also trains and has achieved 5th Dan. Their two children are also Dan grades Matthew who gained his Shodan in 2003 at the age of 11, Zoe who gained her Shodan in 2013 at the age of 16 and Robert who has gained his 3rd kyu.
