Kookateki Judo Club has become the first sports club in Northern Ireland to be awarded the Gold Clubmark Award, the highest honour in the Belfast City Council Recognition Scheme.

Kookateki have achieved the Bronze, Silver and Gold awards all within one year. The award recognises all the hard work and dedication all of the members of Kookateki Judo Club do to promote judo both in the local area and nationally.

As part of the club's development to achieve this award, a number of coach and volunteer education courses had to be attended, huge thanks go to the coaches and club members who attended these: Wendy Cooke, Jonathan Cooke, Harry Gribbin and Gary Ryan.

Chief coach Jonathan Cooke said, "We are extremely pleased to gain this prestigious award. We would like to feel that it reflects the wide range of activities we are involved in. We try to cater for all interests and all levels, and give everybody a field they can achieve in, as well as supporting other clubs and organisations in their judo activities.

Jonathan Cooke receives Gold Clubmark

"We also hope that the gold award reflects the professional and energetic approach of the club's administrators. In particular, much credit must go to Wendy Cooke for her huge efforts on this project.

"Hopefully, in the next year or so we will have extended our outreach programme further into North Belfast and secured a dedicated dojo within the Grove Wellbeing Centre, Belfast . This will enable us to extend our activities still further. It is never a good idea to stand still!"