The Westbury White Horse Karate Club was established in 1982, and is the longest running club in Westbury. This is where I started training in Karate and has now turned full circle and is run by me, (7th Dan Senior instructor), and assisted by other senior instructors Steve Salter (5th Dan), John McAllister (5th Dan), Morph Mumford (5th Dan) and Jason Willcox (4th Dan). There is always a Black Belt Instructor present at all times, other senior Black belts also assist from time to time. All of my instructors are DBS rated. The child protection officer is Emma Langton (1st Dan) and Christine Smith (1st Dan).

The club has had a lot of success over the years, with numerous students representing England at home and abroad, bringing back an array of trophies, gold, silver and bronze.  At local competitions we have never failed to return without a medal or two. This is due to the high standard that my instructors set, and to be the best, not the second best. This also continues in our grading, (exam), standard. We run the club in a friendly and family orientated way and treat each student individually on merit and ability and do not allow politics to affect the true spirit of Karate.

The following is a brief outline of the way Karate works, and is given to all students to use in their understanding of Karate.

Much of the etiquette and manners stem from the feudal times in Japan, when the social hierarchy dictated how the person spoke, sat, bowed etc. Failure to comply with these rules could bring severe punishment, sometimes even death. Of course, nowadays it is quite different, although the Japanese still attach much importance to etiquette.

Some clubs and associations have neglected the etiquette of Japanese Karate. Karate does not mean the raising of physical standards. We must strive to achieve perfection of character through rigorous training; any fool can hit someone! A Karate-Ka is not a just a thug who kicks and punches, but a complete person with the respect for him/herself and others, which allows them to rise above violence in all but the most threatening situations. Etiquette is at the heart of this attitude and adopting this fuller approach to training will enhance not only our overall picture of Karate, but also the perception of others that witness our efforts.