To our members living in Aberdeen stay safe.
We are sure you are aware of the new lockdown measures:
Travel limited to 5 miles
Do not meet other households indoors.
If you are under 18 or have anyone U18 in your household and have enjoyed the easing of restrictions, we hope you can get back to fencing soon once the Aberdeen lockdown is lifted.
#StaySafe
Scottish Government Review of Lockdown: Thursday 30 July 2020
Scottish Fencing have been engaging significantly with our other governing body colleagues since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis and we are keen to share with members some of the actions we have taken as part of this collaborative, sector-wide approach.
Following a formal communication sent to the First Minister on the morning of 30th July 2020 from 32 individual Scottish Governing Bodies of Sport (SGB), the SGB CEO Forum welcomes the recognition by the First Minister of the requirement to move forward the re-opening of sports facilities.
As a sector, we are disappointed the indicative timescale for a return to indoor sport is not sooner. We have submitted evidence in mitigation of any risk to public health and ask for clarification as to what more compelling information is required to ensure our sports can return to activity and competition within the indicative dates given.
However, we will work with the Scottish Government and sportscotland to understand the level of evidence we need to provide so all requirements for indoor sport to safely return in late August can be met. As ever, we will react positively to any encouragement from Scottish Government to review the dates.
We are especially concerned for those SGBs which only have the small 2020 summer window to restart their sport and competitions. Without access to facilities – both indoor and outdoor, wet and dry – our member Clubs cannot function and cannot contribute effectively to the recovery that the whole of Scotland so desperately wants and needs.
As we are all aware the reality is that ‘sport-in-Scotland’ is more than just ‘sport’. This has been clearly demonstrated through the national focus on maintaining daily physical activity throughout lockdown and effectively contributes to the social fabric of our local communities as a whole through (although not exclusively):
· The health and wellbeing of the Scottish Nation;
· Equality and inclusion;
· Contributing to effective learners;
· Mental health and wellbeing;
· Tackling obesity;
· Social inclusion and;
· Women and Girls in Sport.
With confirmation that other public spaces and venues in Scotland are now reopening and in recognition of the immense challenges facing the restart of the Scottish sporting sector, the SGB CEO Forum wish to work quickly with Scottish Government, sportscotland and facility operators to establish a clear strategy to resume sport, for our members, clubs and communities.
Scottish Fencing fully supports the collective drive of Scottish Governing Bodies to reopen as many sport facilities in Scotland as quickly and safely as possible.
A copy of the letter to the First Minister can be seen here
Professor Bert Bracewell - picture by kind permission of Richard Winpenny
Professor H T Bracewell “Bert” 1936- 2020
Authored by Bob Jamieson
Bert as he was known to all was born in London and after National Service in the RAF where he served as an Armourer he then spent time working and playing cricket for Iraq Petroleum in London 1966. During this period he was approached to take the position as the first National Fencing Coach for Scotland.
Leaving the Cyrano Club in Essex which he had started some 4 years earlier and the London Latista Club where he had trained under Professor Alf Simmonds the move north would prove to be the beginning of Bert’s lasting legacy and the start of Scottish Fencing’s growth and force in GB Fencing. It would also mark the end of Bert’s own amateur fencing days, which included success in the RAF fencing team and an invite to join the Olympic fencing squad. He would later be runner up in the British Professional Championships on numerous occasions.
One of his jobs on arrival in Scotland was to train the Scottish squad for the 1970s Commonwealth Games. The 1970 Games would be the most successful, and last, Games for Scotland. Bert’s desire to put fencers in the crowd to explain the sport to spectators, meant fencing was a sell-out.
From the late 60’s the development work undertaken by Bert saw the standard and numbers of Scottish Fencers rise significantly. School clubs increased throughout the nation, breaking the mould of fencing being mostly in Edinburgh schools, with Bert’s renowned enthusiastic introduction to the sport. The first ever Scottish School Championships were held in 1969 in Edinburgh with both Public and State schools entering from all over Scotland. 5 days of competitions with Gala Finals on the Saturday, Schools week as it became known had really taken off.
In 1969 Bert established The Scottish Coaches Association, its aim to develop the standard of existing coaches, introduce Scottish coaching awards and also to create new coaches. The choice of Purple track suits for the newly qualified coaches was certainly Bert’s idea.
As National Coach Bert travelled everywhere visiting Scotland’s existing clubs and the many new ones he had set up. Dressed in black track suit bottoms, white BAF track suit top and Blazer with BAF badge he was easily recognised as “The Prof”.
Bert produced and trained many of Scotland’s top fencers however on one occasion when competing at the 1970 Inverclyde Tournament he demonstrated his skill at foil and competitive side by beating all to claim the championship and add his name to the list of illustrious previous winners. He represented Britain at five professional Masters World Championships at all weapons. In Athens, when celebrating beating the then World Champion, he fell off a raised piste and broke his arm, his only ever fencing injury.
A move of house from Edinburgh to Breastmill House Kirkliston in 1981 gave Bert his own training Salle at home. Fencers travelled from all over to take regular lessons at all times of the day in the converted barn and with the floor covering acquired from the running track at Edinburgh’s Meadowbank Stadium it proved to be an ideal and permanent training venue for any standard of fencers who loved the sport. He still continued his travels around the Scotland he grew to love, especially the Highlands where he made so many close friendships.
There is no question that the success and the stature of Scottish Fencing today is due significantly to the work of Bert Bracewell. From 1966 when he came to Scotland to his retirement in 1992 the quality of his teaching and the enthusiasm he constantly demonstrated was the defining factor. Following his retirement as National Coach, Bert continued coaching and developing British Champions. He was still coaching until the coronavirus pandemic forced him to self-isolate.
Bert’s well worn old style plastron which he wore for many years and regarded by many of his pupils as being far too small certainly improved the accuracy of the cut or hit during the lesson. However, Bert, always one to ask that bit extra from the pupil during the lesson, probably adjusted his target just in time to avoid the hit landing on his unprotected chest.
In 2016, to celebrate Bert’s 80th birthday the family organised a surprise birthday party and fencing event for him. How they kept this surprise from Bert is anyone’s guess but the look of delight and the smile on his face when fencer after fencer knocked on the door clearly demonstrated the mutual love and respect shared by both fencer and coach. Guests from as far as Cornwall to Shetland, and Chile to Australia turned up to celebrate this remarkable coach’s 80th birthday. Recalling tales from almost 50 years of fencing made it a long but very enjoyable day.
It’s impossible to count the number of fencers Bert produced, from the beginners who just liked fencing to the medal-winning Paralympians, Olympic fencers, the fun loving drama students, the dedicated Scottish wheelchair fencers, the British and Scottish Champions - he coached them all.
In 1980 Bert was awarded the prestigious Gauthier Trophy by the British Academy of Fencing for his services to youth fencing and in 2016 the Lifetime Achievement Award from British Fencing.
Bert was not just a great fencing coach. He was a father-figure to many and a man who encouraged all, no matter their background, gender or sex, to widen their ambitions, believe anything was possible and to go for their dreams, in fencing, education and work. Bert treated everyone equally, training the person before him, and helping individuals realise their own fencing and non-fencing strengths. Through tough times, fencers knew they would be greeted by his warm personality and cheeky grin and find a home and safe haven in fencing halls and salles.
An avid stamp collector and Miniature Metal Soldier enthusiast, Bert painted his Military collections in great detail and re-enacted many 18th century historical battles. His tactical awareness, obviously from his ability as a fencer, gave his opponents little chance as his cavalry and foot soldiers advanced without warning to claim the day.
Bert was also a very good and very competitive cricketer. A favourite tale of his, was his two hattricks in successive years for Iraq Petroleum which gained him two salary increases. His love for fencing saw him continue to take up the sword every day but he did have to sacrifice his joy of playing regular cricket. He passed on the joy of cricket to his son and grandson.
Bert passed away peacefully on 14 June at home surrounded by his greatest love, Joan, and his loving family who he cherished. He will be sadly missed by all, his love and passion for the sport which he passed on to everyone will be remembered for ever.
Bert is survived by his wife Joan, children Julia, Karen and Michael, and his grandchildren, Jonty, Amy, Scott, Laura and Josh.
Hello everyone
Thanks to the collaborative network of governing bodies, sportscotland and Scottish Government we are delighted to share the Phase 3 guidance for our clubs and members and also specific guidance for coaches.
This was approved today (Friday July 10th) by sportscotland and Scottish Government and I am personally very grateful to our staff, board and partners for their input. Whilst not close to what we term “normal operations”, we are a step closer and I hope those who can take advantage of the latest easing of restrictions can enjoy their fencing again - however adapted the environment is.
As ever, our number one priority is to maintain members health and safety and play our role in eradicating the virus so please do maintain the level of vigilance and commitment we have already seen as you go about your physical activity and your daily lives.
Some key points from todays guidance are below
Sparring outdoor for Children (U11) and young people (12-17 inclusive) is approved from Monday 13th July 2020 with appropriate outdoor safety measures eg flooring, footwear.
- Children 11 & Under dont need to socially distance from each other at any time
- Young people (12-17) dont need to distance when on piste - but do when they arent! So they can spar/train together but when that activity is over, they must distance.
- Adults must maintain distance at all times.
- No coaching inside the “2 metre boundary” at any time.
There are more stipulations within the guidance regarding risk assessment submission and establishment of a responsible “COVID Officer” for clubs and we are grateful to be part of the Home Nation effort coordinated by British Fencing to provide lists of duties and capabilities for the COVID Officer. Please see the BF website page here for further information.
Our guidance is drafted in 2 PDF documents found at the Dropbox repository we have used before. there is a folder titled Phase 3 and both documents are in there or can be accessed by clicking this link here.
I hope everyone can enjoy some form of fencing if the environment allows, in the meantime, please do #StaySafe and look after yourself and loved ones.
Vincent
Vincent Bryson - CEO
Hi everyone - with a number of government changes coming in July we’ve updated the guidance document for Phase 2 with changes published by Scottish Government and sportscotland today. There are more to come and we will update and share when we have access to them.
The updated document is available via the link at the bottom of this article.
There are likely to be changes to travel restrictions (current suggested limit is 5 miles from home) for physical activity tomorrow (July 2nd) during the First Minister’s speech at 1230 during the daily COVID briefing.
Hello everyone
Thank you again for all your efforts to keep the fencing community safe by complying with the Phase 1 “Return to Fencing” guidance. We realise the sport still looks very different from what we are used to but it is heartening to see our members play a role in protecting and maintaining public health which at this moment remains our key priority.
For those of you directly involved or with links to key workers combatting the virus, thank you for everything. This collaborative effort is the key reason we are able to move into Phase 2 of the Scottish Government Route Map out of Lockdown as mentioned by the First Minister on Thursday June 18th.
We are publishing our Phase 2 guidance as developed in partnership with sportscotland and the Scottish Government and whilst it means only small moves in what looks like “regular fencing” – we are of course delighted to support members and families as there is now more opportunity to meet up in a physically distanced fashion with people from more than one household.
Key points from the Phase 2 guidance are
· All activity remains outdoor – no indoor facilities will be open
· Fencing is still an extension to exercise
· Physical distancing remains 2 metres from anyone outwith your household or extended household
· Group sizes stay a maximum of 8 but can now be formed from 3 households or extended households
· The recommended 5-mile travel limit for physical activity remains in place
· Coaches can now deliver to fencers from two different households at a time, and should work with no more than two households per day.
As ever, management of risk both with the virus and our standard fencing protocols should be paramount. We have a risk assessment which must be completed (link within our coaching guidance) if you are indeed delivering a session to an individual or group (outdoors and physically distanced of course!) so please maintain the commitment and effort which has helped us get to Phase 2.
We are committed to working in partnership with the Scottish Government and sportscotland as we progress through the phases and we are extremely grateful for your efforts in maintaining the focus on using fencing as an extension of your daily exercise.
I understand Phase 3 is where the majority of club activity may look to recommence but please do keep an eye on our social channels and www.scottish-fencing.com for our latest training and development opportunities including our “pay what you can afford” training programmes beginning with “Mindfulness in Fencing” – details are here
Our Dropbox with our Phase 2 guidance is here
Vincent Bryson
Chief Executive
On behalf of the Scottish Fencing Board
Scottish Fencing is deeply saddened by the death yesterday of Bert Bracewell, who became our National Coach in 1966.
He was the foundation and inspiration of so much that followed and a profound and lasting influence on the lives of so many of us. We all have innumerable memories, public and private, of a generous, funny, talented, hard-working coach, mentor and friend. Anyone who ever picked up a foil, an epee or a sabre in Scotland owes something to Bert whether they know it or not, whether they knew him or not. And there are many who owe everything to him.
Putting together a proper tribute will take us some time but please share your memories on the Facebook book set up by his family.
(Facebook group set up by the Bracewell family - https://www.facebook.com/groups/311931689824952/?hc_location=ufi )
Hello everyone
As ever, we extend our best wishes and thanks to all our members, their families and loved ones and anyone associated with the fencing community who is involved in the front line battle against COVID-19.
As you may have seen, we have been part of the UK-wide group discussing various scenarios for returning to Fencing and it’s been great to engage with colleagues not just at British Fencing (BF) HQ but those from Wales, England and Ireland in what is a massive effort.
We were delighted to have BF CEO Georgina Usher join us for the Scottish Fencing Board meeting on the evening of June 10th, maintaining our collaborative approach and highlighting areas of mutual benefit for both Scottish Fencing and our BF counterparts.
Whilst collaboration is pivotal in relaunching and restarting fencing in Scotland, we are of course implementing the Scottish changes to sport in line with Scottish Government and sportscotland – the first stage of which was our Phase 1 guidance we published on May 29th.
With BF colleagues publishing their principles and stages for relaunching sport today, these principles will be implemented at varying stages and timescales throughout the Home Nations and as you may be aware the First Minister highlighted she will make a further update on the progression to Phase 2 of the Scottish Government “Route Map out of Lockdown” – Phase 1 of which informed our guidance we published on May 29th.
Phase 2 in Scotland will still mean all activity is outdoor and we await further clarity on issues such as numbers of households permitted to meet and form a “group” and how many individuals are permitted in a group – currently limited to a maximum of 8 individuals across 2 households.
There is also a possibility a different limit on travel may be applied – currently advised to be no more than 5 miles for an individual to engage in activity or exercise.
Scottish Fencing is part of a wider integrated group of all Scottish governing bodies with dialogue happening several times per week. We intend to launch our Phase 2 guidance sometime after Thursday June 18th 2020 and will ensure our members have as much clarity as possible on the situation whenever anything changes.
Vincent Bryson
Chief Executive
Scottish Fencing
In light of the remarks from the First Minister yesterday confirming Scotland is moving to Phase 1 of the Route Map out of lockdown, we are pleased to confirm the phased return of fencing in Scotland in line with our attached guidance documents.
This remains a public health issue and as such Scottish Fencing is committed to supporting the Scottish Government as it looks to continue to slow the spread of the virus. We are delighted the sport of fencing can such a positive contribution to the protection of public health in Scotland.
The measures outlined by the First Minister includes include the amendment of current daily exercise guidelines to include certain outdoor sport and activities. With some augmentations Fencing can resume some activity outdoors.
However, this is the beginning of a long process for sport to return in a style considered “normal”and we understand this looks quite different from any standard version of Fencing and there are still a number of things we cannot do until later phases of this plan and government guidance has been received.
Effectively, this is not a return to our sport as we know it but an opportunity for people to use some outdoor non-contact sports as part of daily exercise activities but only within the guidelines. As mentioned by the First Minister, other sports have also been given government approval to return in a phased approach.
The key points to consider are –
• All activity must be conducted outdoor
• Physical distancing of a minimum of 2 metres must be observed at all times when with anyone from out with your household
• Limited interaction with one other household is permitted (provided the 2 metre physical distance element is respected and no group exceeds 8 people)
• Coaching, instruction or personal training can happen in this phase of the return to exercise and sport – please see our “Return to Coaching” document available at the link below.
This will be an ever-moving picture and if there is further clarity needed please do reach out.
If members are able to resume fencing whilst respecting the guidance governments and ourselves have published then of course we’d love to see and share your positive stories. Scottish Fencing are committed to continue working with the Scottish Government and sportscotland for the duration of this crisis and beyond.
Do not leave your home to take part in sport or physical activity if Scottish Government advice means you should stay at home because you or someone you live with has or has had symptoms of COVID-19, or you are in the most vulnerable category and have been advised to shield from the coronavirus.
Please do keep checking the Scottish Government website www.scot.gov and www.scottish-fencing.com for further updates on resuming fencing activity and of course, look after yourself and your loved ones.
Our Return to Fencing and Return to Coaching documents are available here - https://www.dropbox.com/sh/lx72jkblvz76rs9/AAB0cJlv388QA5b_GQlXasuVa?dl=0
Hello everyone
It was great to hear the announcement earlier from the First Minister and Scottish Government that Scotland is moving into Phase 1 of the Route Map out of lockdown, effective from May 29th 2020. For the fencing community, this means members can conduct some activity (safely) outdoors.
The exciting part is the opportunity to meet with friends or family from one household we may not have seen for some a while – however we must of course be physically distanced at all times and no group of 2 households should exceed 8 people.
In terms of fencing-specific activity, we are looking forward to sharing our guidance on returning to fencing as soon as we have it cleared by Scottish Government and sportscotland. This first phase out of lockdown is a small step and is viewed as an extension to exercise as any fencing activity is far removed from what is considered “normal” fencing.
We are keen to play a part in helping members safeguard their own health and be part of the collective in ensuring public health is maintained as the fight against the virus continues. Should anyone be symptomatic of COVID19 please do check out www.nhsinform.scot for guidance on how to get tested.
In terms of travel, the First Minister confirmed that whilst it would not be enshrined in law, the government recommends travelling no more than 5 miles from home to conduct your outdoor activity.
There is more to come of course and we will share it with you when we have it.
Vincent Bryson CEO Scottish Fencing
Good morning everyone.
It was a pivotal moment yesterday as the Scottish Government launched the route map out of the COVID-19 enforced lockdown. I know there are still questions on “what’s next” for Fencing in Scotland and we will share our plan for restarting shooting over the next few days.
We are part of the British Fencing Home Nations group and are analysing the input we receive from that group along with the legislative changes and advice we are likely to see from Scottish Government and sportscotland.
The Scottish Government route map has 4 phases and the first set of potential easing of restrictions focuses almost exclusively on outdoor sports. There are no easing of restrictions due to be announced until May 28th so for the next few days we are still observing the lockdown criteria which remains to only conduct essential travel and maintain physical distancing at all times if out exercising or shopping.
We will align any return to Fencing with the Scottish Government guidance and I understand the frustration if this looks different to other Home Nations. However, there are other areas where home nation collaboration is key and the positive conversations we have had with British Fencing and other home nations have created a really positive environment.
We are still a long time away from sport looking as it did back in January and February of this year (if it ever does) and maintenance of physical distancing will be with us into the end of Phase 3 of the published Scottish Government guidance with likely retention into Phase 4.
Public sector facility access is still not likely for a number of months so whilst the easing of restrictions will hopefully improve lives the delivery of fencing will still be impacted. To that end, maintaining the fun activities we are seeing on social media from our clubs continues to be vital so please do keep these going and keep sharing with us.
We will publish our “return to fencing in Scotland” first phase guidance next week and in the meantime if there are any questions please do drop me a line on
Vincent.Bryson@scottish-fencing.com
Vincent Bryson
Chief Executive
Scottish Fencing
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