SENSEI MARTIN DOBSON
4th DAN (JKA)
Chief Instructor of South London Shotokan Karate Club, Sensei Martin Dobson 4th Dan (JKA)
Born in 1948, Martin first started Karate training in 1975, at the age of 27. He trained at Goldsmiths College, London, under the instruction of Sensei Tony Jarvis. He was awarded Second Dan (JKA) Black Belt in 1995 by Sensei Enoeda and in August 2005 was graded to Third Dan (JKA) by Sensei Ueki and Sensei Ohta.
He was promoted to 4th Dan in September 2012 by Senseis Ogura, Sawada, Ohta and Larsen. Currently he holds International “B” Licences as Judge and Instructor plus an International “C” Licence as Examiner .
He is married with three children (now grown up) and works as a director of Dobson & Poole Ltd. (Chartered Surveyors) in Bromley. His many interests and other activities include reading, football (supports Crystal Palace FC), jogging, gardening and films.
Other qualifications: BSc (building administration), Fellow of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and Fellow of The Chartered Institute of Building.
A regular attendee of the Regional and International courses, Martin is still as passionate as he ever was about Karate, and enjoys training regularly with all the top JKA instructors inluding Sensei Ohta and Sensei Roy Tomlin (of Lewisham).
He has also attended courses in Japan on eight separate occasions and wants to return as many times as possible.
ASSISTANT INSTRUCTORS
SENSEI SHAHINAZ PELTER
4th DAN (JKA) — ASSISTANT INSTRUCTOR & CLUB SECRETARY
Shahinaz is a former diplomat who took up karate and joined JKA England in 2009.
Shahinaz is a dedicated student and trains regularly 3 times a week at South London Karate Club with Sensei Martin Dobson (4th Dan), to whom she will always be grateful for teaching her the very first shotokan karate techniques. She also gets extra, valuable training with Sensei Ohta as well as with many visiting Sensei.
After hard training and dedication she obtained her 1st Dan in May 2012 at the prestigious International JKA Spring Course at Crawley. Here the Dan grading was conducted by Sensei Osaka, Sensei Hirayama, Sensei Larsen and Sensei Ohta.
In July 2012, Shahinaz was also awarded her JKA England Coaching Licence Qualification. In February 2015, Shahinaz was awarded JKA England Level 2 licences for Referee and Instructor.
SENSEI ADRIAN THOMAS
2nd DAN (JKA) — ASSISTANT INSTRUCTOR
Adrian started his karate career in 1983 with Sensei Ron Silverthorne of Ryobu-Kai in the original Crawley leisure centre. He attained 2nd Kyu before moving to London.
It was 20 years later that his eldest son, Jake, came home and announced that he had started karate lessons. Adrian and Jake started training with Sensei Martin at Ernest Bevin School. Jake achieved 3rd Kyu, and in 2013 Adrian passed 1st Dan with the late Sensei Ueki.
He passed 2nd Dan in 2026 and holds a coaching licence which he is hoping to turn into an instructor licence later in 2026. He also holds a 2nd Dan with S.K.I.F.
He was a professional musician and composer for 25 years before opening Belleville Brewing Co. in 2013.
He enjoys playing guitar and reading military history in any spare time. His favourite kata is Sochin.