William ‘Wilf’ Divens
Lead Instructor. 5th dan black belt in karate-do.
Wilf is one of the association’s two lead instructors and helps lead the annual training course and grading on the Isle of Islay. His full biography is coming soon.
先生Instructors
Eight black belts. One team.
Small classes and a high instructor to student ratio. Experienced instructors who take the time to listen and guide each student personally, so you are never lost in the crowd.
Chief Instructor and founder
Stephen McGlinchey
6th dan black belt in karate-do
Stephen started karate on 7 January 1969. Master Harada awarded him Shodan on 15 September 1972, after a week-long summer school at Keele University. The British Karate Control Commission registered him as the 30th black belt in Karate-do Shotokai.
Through the 1970s he taught the Kyoto Karate Club in Glasgow. In 1992 he founded the Glasgow Karate-do Shoto Association, and he leads it today, teaching across the city and taking members to train on Islay and in Germany every year.
- 1969Started karate on 7 January
- 1972Shodan under Master Harada
- 1992Founded the association
- TodayLeads the courses on Islay and in Plauen
Lead instructors.
Two 5th dan black belts who teach alongside Stephen and help lead the association’s courses away from Glasgow.
Gerard ‘Gerry’ Cunningham
Lead Instructor. 5th dan black belt in karate-do.
Gerry teaches on both of the association’s trips each year, the course on Islay in September and the seminar in Plauen in October, where he has been a visiting instructor since 2024. His full biography is coming soon.
Instructors.
Every class is taught by a black belt. Hover or tap a card to read more.
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Brendan Owens
Instructor. 2nd dan black belt.
弐段Brendan teaches with the association as a 2nd dan black belt. A short biography will follow.
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Imran Khan
Instructor. 1st dan black belt.
初段Imran teaches with the association as a 1st dan black belt. Photo and biography to follow.
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Iain MacDonald
Instructor. 1st dan black belt.
初段Iain teaches with the association as a 1st dan black belt. A short biography will follow.
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Kevin Little
Instructor. 1st dan black belt.
初段Kevin teaches with the association as a 1st dan black belt. A short biography will follow.
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Duncan Wright
Instructor. 1st dan black belt.
初段Duncan teaches with the association as a 1st dan black belt and joins Stephen and Gerry as an instructor on the Plauen course in Germany.
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Train with them.
Come along to any class. Your first session is free.
See how to join
指導How we teach
You will never be lost in the crowd.
Our purpose is to teach and lead every student, and to challenge each one to keep pushing to a higher level by setting and achieving goals. Our certified and licensed instructors follow a structured, flexible curriculum.
Your first class is free
Come and train with us.
Turn up to any class in jogging trousers and a t-shirt, bring some water, and join in. Everyone you will train with started exactly where you are now.
