Sensei Moira Barber 7th Dan
From starting karate at the age of 15, Moira hasn't looked back and has gone from strength to strength. After 3 years of training she attained 1st Dan in 1978, awarded to her by Sensei Hirokazu Kanazawa, now 10th Dan World Chief Instructor of the Shotokan Karate-do Association and Sensei Ticky Donovan O.B.E. 8th Dan.
In 1977 she helped Sensei Eric Thornton open Grays Ishinryu which was handed over to her to run solo in 1979 when Sensei Thornton retired from karate. Having made a success of this and through popular demand, she then opened the Rainham dojo in 1992. It was at this time she ceased running the junior classes at the Ishinryu Hombu after 15 years of instructing the children for Sensei Donovan.
Through her time as an instructor her clubs have produced around 20 black belts, several of whom have gone on to achieve 3rd Dan black belt and still train with her regularly. Of these 20 black belts, around 5 have reached international status and have represented their country at both European and World levels.
Moira herself received her Great Britain badge and represented the country at the first ever Ladies European Championships at Crystal Palace in 1982. In this debut international performance she won a bronze medal in the under 53 kilo category - the first medal won by a lady for Great Britain in kumite. She went on to perform at more European and World tournaments and picked up more trophies along the way.
She retired from international competition to raise a family, Kerry and Dean, who are both also black belts.
Following on from her competition days she then went into coaching and lead her students to further success, boasting English and British champions at junior and senior level. Many of these students held onto their title for 3, 4 or 5 years in a row.
Not to finish there, she then went on to gain her England Referee badge for both kata and kumite in the early 1990s and today holds a British Referee qualification and officates at both British and International events.
Sensei Barber was awarded her 7th Dan in November 2014.
Sensei Martyn Le Breuilly 5th Dan
Martyn started karate at the age of 7 under instructor (and next-door neighbour at the time!), Moira Barber, and soon realised that even at that young age, dedication was needed in order to succeed.
Dedication and commitment paid off, with successful gradings to follow and eventually taking his first gold medal in kata as an orange belt at a local competition. After further years of training under Moira he continued to achieve success in gradings and competitions respectively, and in the summer of 1999 was awarded 1st Dan black belt.
Focusing his competition interest in particular of Team Kata, he won his first gold medal at the English Championships alongside fellow club instructor David Young. At which point he was selected to represent England in the 2001 World Karate Championships in Athens. A further 2 gold medals in the English Championships, and one in the British Championships were to follow, with the Grays & Rainham Ishinryu team retaining the gold medal for 3 successive years.
With commitment and success becoming more consistent, Martyn was awarded 2nd Dan in 2002, and in 2004 was given the opportunity to run the Grays club where he has since driven new as well as existing students to success.
This, coupled with regular training and dedication saw Martyn awarded with his 3rd Dan in the summer of 2005, where he also took the gold medal in the Men’s Black Belt Kumite event as well as achieving his Ishinryu Referee qualification. This was to be his final (to-date) involvement in tournament as a competitor, and now focuses his attention to instructing and coaching new up-and-coming students to likewise success. Martyn was awarded his fourth dan in December 2009 and his fifth dan in May 2014.
Sensei David Young 5th Dan
Still waiting for profile! But awarded 5th Dan status in December 2015.
Other Dan grades
The club also has the following black belts affiliated to the Kaichou Kai organisation.
Sarah Kemp 4th Dan
Gary Morrell 3rd Dan
Mike Frewin 3rd Dan
Sophie Richardson 2nd Dan
Luke Frewin 2nd Dan
Mike Frewin 2nd Dan
Kerry Barber 1st Dan
Dean Barber 1st Dan
Jamie Brown 1st Dan
Amber McDermott 1st Dan
Harry Richardson 1st Dan
James Frewin 1st Dan
Ryan Peermamode 1st Dan
Holly Freeman 1st Dan
Ian Richardson 1st Dan
Josh Harris 1st Dan
Granville Harris 1st Dan
