Kaichou-Kai

Kaichou-Kai is an English based karate association run by Sensei Moira Barber (6th Dan) that was founded in 2009. The association is affiliated to the Independent Karate Federation (IKF) and is a member of the English Karate Federation (EKF), recognised by the World Karate Federation (WKF).
Kaichou-Kai currently has three clubs based in Grays, Rainham and Ockendon in Essex, England and evolved from Grays, Rainham and Ockendon Ishinryu when Sensei Moira Barber decided to gain control of her own association .<ref name=r1/> Though overlooked by Sensei Barber, Grays and Ockendon dojo's are run by Sensei Martyn Le Breuilly (4th Dan) and David Young (4th Dan) respectively.
The association boasts students of all ages and children from the age of five<ref name=r1/> are allowed to commence training. Each coloured belt is achieved by passing a "grading" which, in turn, is based on the grading syllabus. There are different grades, each of which earns the sudent a striped or full colour belt. Working through these grades eventually leads to for 1st Dan, the first black belt grade.<ref name=r1/>
Moira Barber
Moira Hooper began training at the age of 15 with the Ishinryu association and gained her 1st Dan black belt status in 1978, an achievement awarded to her by Sensei Hirokazu Kanazawa, now 10th Dan World Chief Instructor of the Shotokan Karate-do Association and Sensei Ticky Donovan O.B.E. 9th Dan.<ref name=r1/>
Hooper was awarded her Great Britain badge and in 1982 represented the country at the first ever Ladies European Championships, held at Crystal Palace .<ref namer1/> It was in this competition that she won a bronze medal in the under 53 kilo category and became the first woman to win a medal for Great Britain .<ref namer1/>
In 1985 she married, becoming Moira Barber and subsequently retired from international competition to raise a family.
Move to teaching
In 1977 Barber (then Hooper) helped Sensei Eric Thornton open Grays Ishinryu which was handed over to her to run independently in 1979 when Thornton retired from karate .<ref name=r1/> It was after her retirement from competition and the growing success of the club in Grays that in 1992 Barber decided to open and run a dojo in Rainham, Essex.
The clubs have been extremely successful, producing over 20 black belts with around 10 reaching international competitor status, representing at both the European Karate Championships and World karate championships.<ref name=r1/>
Following this success, Sensei David Young formed a third club in Ockendon and Sensei Martyn Le Breuilly was given control of Grays Ishinryu.
Exit from Ishinryu and formation of Kaichou-Kai
In the early part of 2009 Sensei Moira Barber (along with Young and Le Breuilly) decided it was time to leave Ishinryu and chose to create her own association to take full control of. The students of the former Grays, Rainham and Ockendon Ishinryu remained loyal to Barber and chose to take the move with her, enabling the new association to make an impressive start. The name Kaichou-Kai is defined as 'strength in unity' and was decided upon after much deliberation as this particular meaning holds great reference to the history of the three clubs, its students and its instructors. Since its formation the association has rapidly grown and remained highly successful, with many new black belts and successful students progressing through their grades under a new syllabus.
The association holds several fund-raising events including quiz nights and a summer games day as a way to help further students opportunities by providing extra training equipment, for example.
The first one day course for the association and invited guests took place in May 2010.

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