A SPONSORED slate break has helped a Barry karate club kit out its members in matching clothes to raise local awareness of the sport.

The Rising Sun Kyokushin Karate Club-hosted event, on December 18, was set up to raise money so that all students could be issued with the kits.

Weeks of preparation went into the event with careful planning, coaching, practice with equipment together donated by Camileri Roofing.

Students as young as four-years-old took part, showing their families and peers what they had learnt over the past few months.

Chief instructor, Spencer Bennett said “A definite highlight of the night was watching the rising stars, aged four to seven, take part in the break.

“A lot of hard work was put in by the students and instructors for this event; the hard work really paid off with this first class performance. We have a new generation of talent coming through who can hopefully follow in my footsteps and see the world with this sport.”

The club's senior students showed the audience there breaking technique by smashing through stone with their hands and feet.

An amazing display from the juniors preceded the clubs first annual awards where certificates, medals and trophies were handed out to students of all ages including Max Ladner who took student of the year.

Instructor Sempai Spencer Bennett has had an action-packed year placing fourth in the BKK (British Karate Kyokushinkai) world tournament and placing third in the British open and fifth cup of Europe at the end of the year. He is ranked in the top 20 full contact karate fighters in the world.

He said his ambition for 2014 was to pass on all his knowledge he has picked up over the years of training and competing to anyone who wants to step into the rising sun dojo.

Training resumes at the Barry Island Community Centre, at 6pm on Monday, January 6pm with new members of all ages welcome.

For information call Spencer Bennett on 07825788955 or 01446622106 or search Facebook.