Sonkei Shotokan Karate Club
Gateshead, Tyne & Wear   Est:2014  Chief Instructor Sensei Noreen Small 6th Dan
Training Gallery

Please note that this page is no longer updated, the content below features events that took place before the Covid pandemic and whilst the club was under our previous governing body (The KUGB).

Sensei Gordon Mathie visted the Sonkei dojo on Monday 1st April for his first visit of 2019, an excellent session was delivered as usual and our new students loved it, looking forward to next time.


Photo Credit to Andy Bramwell.
Sensei Gordon Mathie April 2019 full album
Sensei Frank Brennan 8th Dan came along on Monday 4th February 2019 for the first visit of the year at the Sonkei dojo, we had a great turnout and once again lots of support from our neighboring clubs.
He used this class to focus on kumite then pushed through some kata at the end.

Photo credit to Daniel Bensley.
Apologies as they are not the best.
Sensei Frank Brennan February 2019 full album
Sensei Frank Brennan 8th Dan kindly came to our new dojo for a Bonfire Night training session, despite it being the 5th November 2018 we had a good turnout, thanks to all who came especially the ones from our neighboring clubs.
We look forward to training with Sensei Brennan in 2019.

Photo credit to Andy Bramwell.
Sensei Frank Brennan November 2018 full album
Sensei Collin Schubert was awarded his 7th Dan (Schichi Dan) at the 52nd National Championships at Leicester on Saturday 5th May 2018, Sensei Collin has been a member of the KUGB for over 40 years, he still trains very regularly - over the past year in Finland but also now in the UK again as he has moved back over, we look forward to having him more at Sonkei, he also still enjoys to teach.

He is pictured here with Sensei Frank Brennan 8th Dan at Newcastle Sendai after a training session.
Sensei Gordon Mathie 6th Dan returned to Sonkei on Thursday 12th April for his first visit of 2018, as usual it was a fantastic session working hard on specific parts for kata.

Photo credit to Andy Bramwell.
Sensei Gordon Mathie April 2018 full album
More Shodan's

On Saturday 24th March 2018 at kirkintilloch, Glasgow, we had 4 students pass their 1st Dan, Rebecca Shield, Christopher Hulse, Jack Roberts & Isabelle Shield were presented their belts during the lesson on Monday 26th March.

Well Done Guy's!!
Sensei Frank Brennan was back in our dojo for the 3rd time & the first for 2018, it was excellent turnout from our neighbouring clubs again & the training was as always excellent.
Thank you to the clubs that came along to support us. 

Photo credit to Andy Bramwell
Sensei Frank Brennan February 2018 full album
On Thursday 30th November 2017, Sensei Geoff Ainsbitt returned to our dojo for a 2nd training session bringing some Akido style self defense, unfortunately it was snowing so we only had a small class of hardcore students.

Photo Credit to Daniel Bensley
Sensei Geoff Ainsbitt November 2017 full album
Sonkei's newest Shodan's

On Sunday 19th November 2017 at City Space, Sunderland under the supervision of  Sensei Bob Poynton we had 3 of our students pass their 1st Dan, Caitlin Bramwell, Reece Bensley & Kyle Malcolm were awarded their Black Belts during the lesson on Monday 20th November.

Well Done Guys!!
Sensei Gordon Mathie kindly returned to our dojo on Thursday 14th September for another fantastic session - this time we were in the sports hall so Sensei really pushed everyone, once again thank you for the support from other clubs.

Photo Credit to Daniel Bensley
Sensei Gordon Mathie September 2017 full album
Sensei Frank Brennan 8th Dan kindly returned to our dojo for a 2nd time on Monday 24th July 2017, our dojo was full with support from other clubs & as usual an excellent training session was enjoyed by all.

Photo Credit to Andy Bramwell.
Sensei Frank Brennan July 2017 full album
Monday 8th May 2017 was a goodbye training session that was took by Sensei Collin Schubert before he jetted off to pastures new, of course it won't the last we all see of Sensei Collin, he will across in the UK for various competitions & hopefully he will pop back into the Sonkei dojo too.

Photo credit to Andy Bramwell.
Sensei Collin Schubert full album May 2017
We always love a visit from Sensei Gordon Mathie and on Thursday 20th April 2017 it was his 3rd visit to Sonkei, He is one of the finest instructors and manages to entertain while pushing the students hard.
We look forward to next one.

Photo credit to Andy Bramwell.
Sensei Gordon Mathie full album April 2017

OnMonday 20th March 2017 we had Sensei Frank Brennan (8th Dan) in our dojo for the first time, we had an excellent turn out from our own club and also several students from other local clubs, Sensei Brennan did a fantastic training session working closely on Kata detail especially with the seniors, we can't wait for the next one.


Photo credit to Andy Bramwell

Sensei Frank Brennan full album March 2017

Autumn 2016 training photo's.

Autumn 2016 Album

Winter 2016 training photo's.

Winter 2016 Album

Sensei Gordon Mathie 6th Dan visited Sonkei for a 2nd time on Monday 3rd October 2016 for an excellent evening training session, it had been a little while since Sensei Mathie had been down this way and we had a lot of excited students plus new students who absolutely loved it.

Photo credit Andy Bramwell & Video credit to Barry Mountford

We are proud to announce that we are going to be part of a new upcoming movie, a little while back a local film director approached us and asked if he could film a small scene to appear in a movie, of course we jumped at the chance, so on Friday 7th October our usual class was off and instead a movie scene was created, 2 of our Sensei's re-created an excellent fight scene and our Chief Instructor even performed her own stunts, we then had 2 of our students doing another fight scene as well as our other students being either in the background or having a close up, we cant wait for the movie to be released but in the mean time we have some pictures and a video from behind the scene's.

Train Set is on twitter at @TrainSetMovie


Photo Credit to Andy Bramwell & Video Credit to Barry Mountford.


Behind the scenes photo's

Sensei Geoff Ainsbitt came to visit us on Thursday 26th May 2016, Geoff is 5th Dan in Akido & a 3rd Dan in Aki-Jitsu which meant it was a slightly different but entertaining training session.

Photo credit to Andy Bramwell

Sensei Geoff Ainsbitt full album May 2016

Sensei Billy Higgins 8th Dan Kindly visited Sonkei for an open training session on Saturday 23rd April 2016, it was a fantastic session that was enjoyed by all, a very experienced Sensei bringing his knowledge to Sonkei.

Photo credit to Andy Bramwell

Sensei Billy Higgins full album April 2016
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