Reading Karate Club Instructors

The instructors at the Reading Karate club are insured and registered with England Wado Kai. Amongst our instructors are qualified First Aiders, as is the Club Secretary who also holds a child protection certificate in sport. All adult instructors and the club secretary have had CRB checks.

Currently the club instructors are Carl Spiller (2nd Dan, Black Belt) and Rob Barrett (1st Dan, Black Belt). The Club secretary is Lorraine Spiller.

The senior instructor for the association is Sensei Barry Wilkinson (7th Dan, Black Belt).

He passed his first belt (yellow) in July 2000, orange in 2001, green in 2002, blue in 2003, purple in 2004, junior brown in 2004, middle and senior brown in 2005. In 2004 when Carl became a purple grade and more senior he progressed to training 3 times a week.

In 2005 Carl was awarded the Reading Wado-Kai Club's Student of the Year Trophy.

In May 2006 Carl passed his black belt grading achieving a highly respectable 79% in the written paper. Carl also received private tuition from Sensei Russell Kenyon to which he will be eternally grateful. He is now one of the youngest Black Belts in the country for this style of karate and most definitely the youngest in Reading.

The driving force behind Carl wanting to do karate is that it is a good way of keeping fit. Also Carl's older brother used to train in Wado Ryu, also obtaining his black belt, but unfortunately not training anymore. Carl wanted to go that one step further and better his brother, which he has now achieved.

In July 2006 Carl was selected along with 3 other boys for the unique opportunity to go to school and train in Japan for 2 weeks by Sensei Barry Wilkinson. Carl travelled to Japan in September 2006 and he returned with a wealth of knowledge, a keener eye and much sharper techniques.

Carl enjoyed living the Japanese life and the experience so much that he is now busy saving to repeat the trip in the summer of 2008 with his friend Stephen Woods who went with him. This time he would like to experience more of the Japanese culture as well as visiting his host family and sensei Haru.

He has represented England in the art of Kata in Tipton May 2005, 2006 and 2007, Belfast Feb 2005, Feb 2006 and was selected to do so again Feb 2007, but this time also in kumite, and Bristol 2007. His tally of trophies and medals won include 3 gold and 3 silver medals and a bronze. In October 2006 Carl was selected for the England squad competing in Luxembourg. Carl has also appeared on television and has been in the newspapers several times.

In May 2010 Carl was awarded the prestigious black belt grade of Nidan, following an assessment at the 2010 England Wado-Kai Karate Summer Course, the biggest event of the England Wado-Kai Calendar.

His other interests are playing football on Sundays (karate permitting) for Shinfield Rangers. Carl is also the team captain for his football team.

Rob Barrett

In April 2000 Rob agreed to start karate training during a night out with old university friend, Richard Moore. Sensei Moore had recently taken on the Wokingham Karate Club and was keen to increase the number of members. After being reminded of his promise the next day, Rob had his very first karate lesson the following Friday and after a few weeks was hooked, grading for his 8th Kyu (Yellow) later that year.

At the start of 2001 Rob started additional training at Bracknell under Sensei Jannet Bowden achieving 7th Kyu in March that year.

Following a move to West Reading, Rob started training at the Reading Wado Dojo under Sensei Marcus Bowden, achieving 6th Kyu (Green) in December 2001, 5th Kyu (Blue) in March 2002 and 4th Kyu in December 2002.

In the summer of 2003 Rob started training at Thatcham Karate Club under Sensei Paul Knight and has been training there ever since.

After Sensei Marcus left the Reading Club, Rob continued to train, being taught by Senseis Barry Wilkinson and Russel Kenyon; achieving 3rd Kyu (junior brown) in December 2004, 2nd Kyu (middle brown) in December 2005 and 1st Kyu (senior brown) in March 2007.

In October 2006 Rob took on the role of instructing at Reading Wado Karate Club along with Carl Spiller and Rebecca Moreland.

In 2008 Rob started training at Aldershot Karate Club, under Sensei Barry Wilkinson.

In May 2009 Rob was awarded the prestigious black belt grade of Shodan, following an assessment at the 2009 England Wado-Kai Karate Summer Course, the biggest event of the England Wado-Kai Calendar.

Currently Rob is instructing at Reading Karate Club and is continuing his training to develop his karate at Thatcham and Aldershot karate clubs.

When he isn't karate training, Rob works as a graphic/ web designer and spends his spare time participating in, and coaching, white-water kayaking with the Adventure Dolphin Centre in Pangbourne as a Coach Level 3 (kayak).

Rob is also a qualified first aider (Royal Berkshire Ambulance Service Trained) and has been CRB checked. He has also completed a Safeguarding Children, Child Protection Course accredited by Wokingham Borough Council, West Berkshire District Council, NHS Berkshire West and Reading Borough Council.

Lorraine Spiller

After watching her son Carl progressing through the Kyu grades, Lorraine decided that 'if you can't beat them, join them' and took on the role of Club Secretary in 2002. Since then she has seen us through several Senseis and organised our relocation to the South Reading Youth and Community Centre in May 2006.

Lorraine's duties include bookkeeping, banking, the purchase of club equipment and clothing, putting up posters, delivering flyers, taking karate fees and much much more. As Club Secretary, Lorraine is the hub of the Reading Karate Club and even manages to keep the instructors in line!

After constant nagging by her son Carl about starting karate. Lorraine finally gave in and started training in February 2007.
In May 2007 Lorraine passed her 8th Kyu (yellow) grading.

Lorraine holds a child protection certificate in sport and a paediatric first aid certificate.