The club hopes to help send members to the world championships in Tokyo

A SCOTSTOUN karate club is hosting a fundraiser to help send members to a major event in Japan.

Japan Karate Shotorenmei (JKS) Glasgow is hoping to send four competitors to the association’s world championships in Tokyo on Tuesday, July 23.

They will be representing JKS Karate Scotland at the event and instructor Seon Mclaren hopes the fundraiser will help cover some of the costs.

He said: “Four people are going from our club and 35 are going overall as part of team Scotland.

“We are hoping to raise £1,000 which will help cover the hotel costs for some of our members.

“We are holding a race night to raise money so people will be sponsoring horses that are taking part in that and there will also be party games in place to help raise funds.”

The fundraiser is taking place at Yarrow Recreation Club on Anniesland Road in Glasgow on Saturday, May 11.

And Seon opened up on how he became involved in the sport.

“We have four different venues, Scotstoun, Jordanhill, Kelvinhall and Kelvindale,” he continued.

“The club has been running for 10 years. It is something I have always enjoyed.

“I never thought I would be teaching it as a job and now I do 23 classes a week across six days, I am very lucky.

“We are all chipping in to help as much as possible as it will not be cheap.

“Flights are around £1,500 during the summer holidays so it will be an expensive trip.

“I think between the race night and the other fundraisers we are doing, we hope to raise the funds needed.”

Seon’s daughter Layla is one of the competitors hoping to travel to Japan.

The 15-year-old recently achieved success at the JKS Scotland National Championships, winning three gold medals and two bronze across various categories.

And her grandmother Annmarie, who has helped organise the race night, hopes the event this weekend can help raise the necessary funds.

“We are doing the event in the hope that Seon and Layla can then present team Scotland with the funding,” she added.

“Yarrow Recreation Club have been very supportive of the night in terms of advertising it and helping us sell tickets.

“Everyone at the club has worked so hard over the years and we just want Layla, along with all the other members, to get the opportunity to compete in Japan.”