A SPECIAL guest of honour flew in to visit students at a karate class in Oakridge village hall recently.
Akamine Sensei, president of the Okinawan Shorinryu Mukenkai Association, became guest teacher for the day after he was invited to visit the class by Paul Vermiglio, manager of the Forest Green Rovers Gym and teacher of Shorinryu karate and weaponry.
Sophia Russell, who teaches students aged five to 18 at the Oakridge class, said: “I really could not believe it when I heard he was flying in all the way from Japan.
“It is a rare privilege to get a master of Akamine Sensei’s standing to visit our Oakridge class and to learn the arts of karate from such an accomplished teacher.
"For my students it is the most fantastic opportunity to learn from the master himself.”
After teaching Shorinryu karate, president Sensei went with students to the Thomas Keble in Eastcombe
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