Vivienne Grant

Vivienne Grant started training karate back in 1986 during what is known as ‘golden era’ of Karate in Scotland.  Around that time karate clubs were very popular and the club she was at with Ronnie Watt was one of the biggest in Scotland with over 30 branches spread all over.  People would travel from far and wide to attend special courses up and down the country by some of the best instructors in the world who at that time were mostly Japanese, as Karate was still in it’s infancy in Europe.    Vivienne loved Karate and trained along side her sister Angela three or four times a week, attending courses with legendary instructors like Kase, Enoeda, Shirai, Kanazawa, Ochi and many others.

            Ronnie recognised a talent in Vivienne and her sister along with a passion for the Karate and the Budo discipline it entails.  Vivienne passed her black belt in 1989. She has won countless medals in competitions, festivals and courses including a Bronze medal in the women’s Kumite (sparring) team at the world championships in St. Petersburg, 2003, a major achievement for Aberdeen Karate on a world stage. 

 Still training and now a 5th Dan, Vivienne also loves to teach karate and assists Ronnie with the teaching with adults and children. She runs an after school karate club at Cults Primary teaching children between seven and fourteen once a week.

 “I have never allowed children under 7 to join but a lot of the younger children have joined at this young age, as they have been on the side line watching their older siblings enjoy the sport for many weeks and have come to understand the challenges of karate and in particular how much fun you can have with it.  Therefore when the children start, they are keen to show how much they respect the other children on the floor and of course their teacher.  I want to carry on teaching children and passing on to them what Sensei Ronnie has passed to me over the years and for them to be coached also by one of the most unique karateka’s of our time…

To be handed an award like this is an absolute privilege and honor and makes all the hard work worth it. 

 Thirty years of training proper Shotokan Karate, one of the most difficult and respected Japanese disciplines has been a way of life for Vivienne and she loves every minute of it.  She has helped many children (and adults) find their way through training and hard work. There is only one ‘Sensei Vivienne.’