Newark Shotokan Karate Club is Newark's oldest martial arts club in existence, it origins can be traced back to the late sixties, although the club celebrates it formation year as 1973, the opening of the Grove Leisure Centre.
The club grew from an adults only club in the mid 1970’s, after the then Chief Instructor Sensei Alan Bainbridge introduced a junior class, by the mid 1980’s the club had a second dojo at Lincoln and a membership of over 150.
Sensei Bainbridge emigrated to Australia in 1989, rather than leave the club in the hands of a less experienced adult, he left the club to two of his longest serving students, Darren Taggart, at the time only 17 and Wayne Maliszewski, only 15.
During the 1990’s under the leadership of Darren and Wayne, the club produced many champions winning competitions at local, region and national level, some of these competitors were accepted onto the national squad and represented England, winning medals at European competitions. Over that last few years club members have competed in European and World championships in Norway, Germany, Australia, Lithuanian, Slovenia, Japan, France, Serbia and the Czech Republic.
In 2006 Darren resigned from the club due to work and family commitments, the club now continues with Wayne as Chief Instructor, with the help of the other senior grades sharing the teaching. In late 2006, senior club member and assistant instructor Carol Sheffield, formed a new club in her home village of Sutton-on-Trent.
The club has produced over 100 black belts since it formation, with their ages ranging from 8 years old to adults in their sixties, proving that karate is not just for the young but indeed all ages.