Andy Watson

 Hi I'm Sensei Andy Watson, Chief Instructor at Hinotori Shotokan Karate School. I have trained in Shotokan Karate since 1989. I first started as I had seen an advert in a local paper for a beginners class in Karate. So I took my first lesson and was hooked. The first lesson I went to on my own, but quickly made friends, one of those friends in that very first lesson ended up becoming my best man at my wedding!

From that first lesson I trained as much as I could and in 1994 I took my black belt (1st Dan), then in 1996 I graded to 2nd Dan. Due to family reasons I took a few years off, but returned when my son wanted to train and worked hard to achieve my 3rd Dan in 2007, then 4 years later (in 2011) I graded to 4th Dan which was awarded to me by Sensei Anne Hastings (6th Dan).

Since then I have continued to train and was a Senior Instructor at Samurai Karate School for over 10 years, until I decided to leave and set up my own Karate School.

I am DBS checked, I have passed the level 2 Senior Coaching Course, and completed the Safeguarding Children Training. I have also completed a First Aid Course.