Ben Richardson - Chief Instructor

Ben began Shotokan Karate (KUGB) in 1987 under Alan Wilson and attained his 1st Dan Black Belt in 1995 under the late great Sensei K. Enoeda 9th Dan. Ben later went on to University in Canterbury to study Sport & Exercise Science training with Sensei Georges Dussart 4th Dan and achieving  his 2nd Dan Black Belt in 2000 (Sensei K. Enoeda 9th Dan) along with a degree in his chosen academic subject.

Towards the end of his time in Canterbury Ben was lucky enough to stumble upon a Jeet Kune Do club run by Martin Riley, student of Peter Chassikos (Toronto Academy). Following a short spell here before leaving with his M.Sc. in Sport Science, Ben went on to pursue his interest in Martial Arts studying Muay Thai, Akido, and Kung Fu.

In 2004 Ben joined the Bob Breen Academy in London and started to study directly under Guru Breen (see profile), also joining the Jeet Kune Do Kali International (JKDKI) Instructors programme. He has recently been awarded Instructor Apprentice level 1 under JKDKI and  Blue grade in Jeet Kune Do under Guru Breen. Ben has also been awarded Phase 1 in Jun Fan Gung Fu whilst training under the instruction of Neil McLeod ( see profile).

In 2005 Ben also received his instructorship from the Karate Union of Great Britain, being one of the first people to achieve this new qualification under the KUGB and the Open college Network (OCN). He continues to compete nationally and attend courses around the country in order to maintain the club’s high standard of martial arts.

Stella Vassiliou

Stella Vassiliou is an English teacher and Head of House at Didcot Girls’ School in South Oxfordshire. She began studying Shotokan Karate at the age of 9, under the instruction of Sensei Nick Adamou. Sensei Adamou was himself a student of Master Hirokazu Kanazawa and Stella had the good fortune of training with Sensei Kanazawa on several occasions and being graded by him.

She achieved her black belt in 1989 and over the next few years competed in many competitions. She won the National Shotokan Karate Association Ladies’ Kata Trophy two years running while still a teenager.

Stella was awarded her Second Dan at the age of 14 and was subsequently invited to take on a teaching responsibility in Sensei Adamou’s club, focusing on kata. She regularly taught black belt kata classes and was presented with her Instructor’s Certificate in 1994.

She has recently begun training again under Sensei Ben Richardson and has found the club to be an exciting, challenging and friendly environment in which to train. She is now a member of the Karate Union of Great Britain and teaches at Can Do Martial Arts classes in Abingdon and Didcot.