Shihan Chris Thompson, 9th Dan and Washinkai Founder:
Since the early 1970s, Chris Thompson has been at the forefront of karate in England. Chris Thompson began studying karate in 1969 and remembers the date well as during his first class Neil Armstrong was orbiting and about to land on the moon.
During his early years he trained with many of the first Japanese Wado Ryu instructors to come to England and Europe. Instructors such as Suzuki, Fuji, Maeda and later Kitimura, Kobayashi and Shinohara all played a part in his early karate training.
A successful competitor in kata and kumite, it wasn’t long before Chris Thompson was teaching and in 1978 formed the Washinkai Karate Organisation.
Throughout the 1980s, Chris Thompson was the Southern representative of the British Karate Association (BKA) helping to maintain the high standard from Associations applying for membership of that organisation.
Now Chris is elected Chairman and Chief Instructor of the British Traditional Karate Association, an organisation that has had and continues to have many competition successes in Kata and Kumite, both nationally and internationally.
Born out of his experiences home and abroad, training with other Japanese instructors from the four major schools of karate, Shotokan, Goju Kai, Shito Ryu and Wado Ryu, the Washinkai style is an eclectic style with firm Wado roots.
A successful author and star of the video series “Essentials of Karate” Chris Thompson holds the rank of 9th Dan and held the post of Technical Director for English Karate for many years.
Calum Mendham 5th Dan Hawkinge Instructor:
I have been practising Washinkai karate for over 20 years, starting in 2001 at the age of 11. My first instructor was Sensei Neil Benton, and I joined his recently opened dojo at the Marsh Leisure Centre in September of that year. During this time, I also trained in Tae-Kwon-Do and kick boxing, however I found karate suited me better so I stuck with it.
Throughout my teenage years, I had a passion for competition. I would regularly compete in both kumite and kata. I have competed in both National and regional competitions, winning gold in both events. I achieved my Shodan in February of 2007 and currently hold the grade of Godan (5th Dan) as of 2022.
I have been a qualified as a competition judge as of 2016, and as of 2019 I became a qualified competition referee.
I have been teaching karate for over 15 years now, starting at Lydd. Here I would teach the junior and beginner sessions to help with my confidence and teaching skills. Eventually I moved up to teaching higher grades.
From 2017- 2021, I taught at the Dover dojo with the assistance of Sensei Pete Saunders. After 4 years I was asked to start a new club in the Folkestone / Hawkinge area, and as of April 2021 I’ve started teaching at the Hawkinge Community Centre.
