Karate club with dojos in Blyth and Cramlington celebrates five year anniversary and award recognition

Sensei Dylan Gibson, Sensei Gemma Gibson, and students Jay Crosby and Emelia Walker with The High Sheriff of Northumberland Diana Barkes and the Vice-Lord Lieutenant of Northumberland Dr Caroline Pryer at the High Sheriff Awards Ceremony. (Picture: Gemma Gibson)

The Cramlington Dojo was founded in 1973 and the Blyth Dojo in 1997. Dylan and Gemma taught their first class in Blyth in March 2019 and officially became the instructors in October 2020. Since then, they have brought the two clubs together under one name – Kokoro, which in Japanese translates as heart, mind, and spirit.

Gemma said: “When we started teaching at the Blyth Dojo, we had to build the club up from six students.

“We were able to grow the club despite lockdowns and Covid restrictions. The KUGB (Karate Union of Great Britain) then asked us to re-open the Cramlington Dojo which had recently closed. In November 2021, we re-opened the club from scratch.”

The club celebrated the anniversary with a charity course with two visiting instructors. The event was held to raise funds for the KUGB’s Charity Appeal for 2023/24, Northeast Sight Matters and Guide Dogs, and raised £383.

The charities were chosen by the organisation on behalf of Sensei Dylan, who lost his sight in November 2022.

The High Sheriff of Northumberland, Diana Barkes, attended the event and said: “I received a warm welcome from everyone at the Kokoro Karate Club. I watched two classes with participants ranging in age from five to adult and was very impressed by the level of skills on show.”

The club had another reason to celebrate when they were presented with a certificate in recognition of great and valuable services to the community at the High Sheriff of Northumberland Awards ceremony at Alnwick Playhouse.

Dylan also received an award from the High Sheriff, who said: “I cannot find the words to express how impressed I was by Dylan and how he has coped with overcoming his loss of sight with such fortitude.

“It would have been so easy for him to turn his back on the sport that he participated in at such a high level, but instead he has dedicated himself to encouraging others to take part in karate and sharing his passion for the sport.”