HAPPY 40th BIRTHDAY NEWMILLERDAM KARATE CLUB

Newmillerdam Karate Club opened in 1968 and have been running each week ever since and last night Newmillerdam had a birthday party to end all parties.

Celebrating 40 years, being the most established Karate Club in Wakefield, in West Yorkshire maybe in the North of England who knows.  Forgetting Guiness records, it is an amazing achivement.  During the presentations of Certificates to those who received their Black Belts Executive Member of WYSOK Shihan Matthew Barlow said "to think that we celebreate those who have trained for 3 years for their black belt and we mark it as an achivement.  We mark those who have gone on to 2nd Dan and higher advanced dans marking the number of years they have committed.  I have trained for 20 years and its an achivement.  What seperates those achivements from this is that each of these achivements people do for themselves, for their own goals.  Newmillerdam Karate Club has been running or 40 years supporting students and black belts and giving".

Jim Santana was an early student of Newmillerdam Karate Club and it was fitting that he was invited back to perform on the night.  Jim is a sucessful Elvis Tribute artist and gave a top performance last night.  The atmosphere amoung those who were there to celebrate Newmillerdams 40 years was amazing, Balne Lane Working Mens Club was packed, the stage was all setup and Jim was on form.  Entertaining and even had knickers thrown at him, strangely Y fronts too (so if someone can return those I'd be grateful).

See below of some of the photos of last night, click on the photo to open a larger version.