Kevin Stark BemAbout the author Kevin Stark BEM has been training since 1982 and currently an eighth-degree black belt in Shotokan Karate and Head of the Association of Traditional Shotokan Karate (ATSK). Over the years Kevin has trained with some of the best exponents across the world for karate and martial arts that were the influencing factors of early karate. Kevin has been using educational strategies to teach traditional karate to fully inclusive cohorts by using his extensive knowledge and experience from the education sector as he has worked with disaffected youth, developed teaching strategies for educational programmes and set up educational organisations. The knowledge and experience of Kevin has been put into practice by following traditional values of martial arts, which is to use the skills of mind and body for a positive influence and impact. This is typified by how Kevin created a non fighting martial art for children called Sho Ryu, that is now being delivered across a number of schools which helps to encourage primary age children into physical activity with an emphasis on discipline whilst at the same time enjoying the activity. At the heart of the philosophy that Kevin has looked to put the benefits into the community and society by opening up access to martial arts for people with disabilities, run projects for Sport England in order to support with hitting targets to help females, ethnic minorities, people struggling with obesity and disaffected youth by offering integration into mainstream classes where possible. In 2009 Kevin set up Federation of Traditional martial Arts to help independent clubs with business development, in order to support traditional martial arts at grass roots level. Kevin has also used the traditional martial arts philosophies in order to help with running karate charity events for: Mencap Cerebral Palsy Society Autism organisations Cancer charities The Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital. Kevin is also a Trustee for a Charity called EACGPA delivering Education in East Africa. Read More Read Less