Have Your Say - Strategic Framework

Thank you to everyone who has given feedback through our survey and focus groups, it has helped to shape the framework below. We are now looking for feedback on the framework as well as ideas on some of the projects that can underpin it.

This strategic framework aims to capture the thoughts and views of the members that engaged with the survey and focus groups as well as the thoughts of staff and board.

The strategy is something that aims to bring everyone together and when we talk about Scottish Fencing we mean everyone (not just staff and board). #WeAreScottishFencing refers to everyone working together for the shared purpose of ‘All For One, A Sport For All’.

We welcome feedback on all elements of this document and thank everyone that has contributed so far. Following your feedback, the next stage will be to add in all the details of what we will all do to achieve the objectives. A lot of ideas have already been captured from the initial consultations which is excellent.

Feedback form will close at 12 noon on Monday 8th July.

Strategic Framework (draft)

Feedback form

Have Your Say

As part of our ongoing engagement around the new strategic plan we are offering a final chance to give us your thoughts as part of this first stage of engagement.

Please complete the form below if you would like to have your say.

Member Engagement Form

The information provided will go alongside the insights we already have from the survey and focus group sessions. The next step is for the staff and board to carry out a similar exercise and combine all the data so we have a diverse as possible view to influence the framework for the new strategy.

There will be further opportunities to engage and give your thoughts as the plan develops.

Hot Topic - Exploring Your Why?

In collaboration, Scottish Fencing & Scottish Archery on the back of the joint conference ran in April, are running an online session to Explore Your Why.

You may have heard the phrase Changing Lives in the context of sport, simply this is an approach to intentionally use sport as to help people and communities.

But it all starts with Why…

-          Why are you involved in your sport?

-          Why do put time in to organising and running your clubs sessions?

-          Why do you do what you do?

-          What is your clubs why? Is it the same as your why?

In this session, we will facilitate a discussion with attendees on Exploring Your Why. For some of you who attended the conference, you may have already got some insight into this, but you will find this useful for connecting and sharing.

We plan this as a first in a series of “hot topic” sessions on the Changing Lives approach over 2024 and we would love you to be part of this journey. We may all be at different stages in our journey – but that is ok as we want to provide the opportunity for people to network, share, inspire and learn from one another across sports that can continue the great work being done at our clubs and coaches sessions day in day out!

SIGN UP HERE

“When we know WHY we do what we do, everything falls into place. When we don’t, we have to push things into place.” – Simon Sinek

Glasgow Open 2024 Overview

Over the 6th and 7th of April over 150 fencers gathered in the south side of Glasgow for this year’s Glasgow Open. Saturday was packed with both men’s and women’s epee and sabre events, giving us our first four winners:

·       Men’s Epee: Rob Blackburne (Forth Valley Fencing Club)

·       Women’s Epee: Liddy Stanier (Edinburgh Fencing Club)

·       Men’s Sabre: Jerome Gan (St Andrews University)

·       Women’s Sabre: Nicole Saunders (Premier Sabre Academy)

Sunday saw men’s and women’s foilists battle it out for the top spots, producing our final two winners:

·       Men’s Foil: Jorge Hernando (Salle Holyrood)

·       Women’s Foil: Chloe Campbell (Forth Valley Fencing Club)

We were especially proud this year to run foil Level 2 referee training – congratulations Sean Walton (practical), Nye Ulferts-Kirkpatrick (practical), Matt Pocock (theory & practical), Etienne Sallé (theory), Ross Hardaker (theory) and Ferdinand Zakar-Smith (theory) for passing examinations over the weekend, and a big thank you to David Fielding for running the course and the rest of the referee team for helping accommodate it.

We also gave a number of other awards over the weekend:

  • Dusty Memorial Trophy for Best Club: Edinburgh Fencing Club

  • Best Veteran: Sheila Anderson (Glasgow West End Fencing Club)

  • Best Student: Alice Knowles (University of Strathclyde)

Full results (including secondary competitions) available here!

We’d really love to see more competitions around Scotland and we’re eager to help anyone who wants to do so. If you’re interested in running a competition (particularly an Open) and don’t know where to start, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at glasgow-open@sallesolas.scot.

And finally, make sure to keep the 5th and 6th of April 2025 free 😉

Thanks to Mark Alvares for producing this overview of the Glasgow Open to share with the wider Scottish Fencing Community,

Online Focus Group

Following on from our member engagement survey we are now offering members the opportunity to come and chat a bit deeper about the future direction of Scottish Fencing.

Even if you missed the opportunity to complete the survey we would still welcome your involvement in this next stage of engagement.

We have 2 options for you Tuesday 28th May and Thursday 30th May, please complete the form below and indicate your preference.

Focus Group sign up form

Journey to the Podium: We’re collaborating with UKAD for this year’s Clean Sport Week, 13 – 17 May



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13 May 2024

Scottish Fencing is proud to reaffirm our commitment to clean sport by backing UK Anti-Doping’s (UKAD’s) Clean Sport Week campaign from 13 - 17 May. 



 Clean Sport Week is UKAD’s national awareness week championing clean sport, education and anti-doping initiatives with sports across the UK.



 This year’s Clean Sport Week theme is “Journey to the Podium”. Throughout the week, UKAD will be showcasing the importance of the clean sport journey through the lens of athletes and the elite sport community. Anti-doping should be a key part of every athlete and support personnel’s journey – it should never be an afterthought. 



 Clean sport is an essential part of our athletes’ journeys to the podium / in professional sport. It takes a lifetime of work, commitment and a network of support to help athletes perform at the very top. This effort can be taken away in a moment by doping. Creating a culture of clean sport is essential for the health and welfare of our athletes and the integrity of archery.



 We all have a responsibility to keep sport clean, to raise awareness of anti-doping and to celebrate the successes of athletes - through hard work, determination and by competing clean. 

 We encourage anyone in our sporting community that would like to learn more about anti-doping to sign up to UKAD’s Clean Sport Hub where there are free education courses for athletes, students, coaches and practitioners.



 Follow @ukantidoping on social media to see a range of educational and exciting content throughout the week. Click to find out more about UKAD’s Clean Sport Week initiative.

Victoria Carson

We are all really saddened by the loss of a member of the fencing community. Our thoughts are with the Carson family.

The funeral of Victoria Carson will take place at 11.30am on Tuesday 21st May 2024 at Bentley Crematorium, Brentwood, Essex.  In memory of Victoria, it would be lovely if you could wear a touch of her favourite colour, green.  For those able to attend, you would also be welcome to join her family after the service between 1pm and 3pm at The Old Brentwoods Club.  No flowers please - instead you may like to make a donation at the link below to Project Victoria, which is being set up in her memory.

 

You can donate here: https://gofund.me/afa26c68

Obituary - Andy Kettles

Kindly written by Alison Melville

Sadly Scottish Fencing, and in particular Central Section, lost another stalwart when Andy Kettles died at the beginning of March.

I first met Andy when he started fencing at Stirling Fencing Club in 1994.  From being an enthusiastic beginner Andy soon blossomed, winning the Scottish Novices (for adults) at both Foil and Sabre.  Later he collected the Scottish Intermediate Foil trophy and also triumphed furth of Scotland when he was 3rd in the Northern Ireland Open.  Andy was not shy of hard work and was often found at the beginning and end of competition weekends setting up or clearing away and his practical skills were also in great demand.

Andy had a mischievous side as shown by his liberal sharing of a hip flask with any “willing” competitor during team events at the Inverclyde tournaments of yesteryear.  He always enjoyed being on-piste, whether fencing or skiing.

Later Andy turned to coaching, often helping George Smith at Stirling University and other local clubs.

In later years Andy suffered poor health and was unable to continue fencing.  However his wife Mandy, and latterly his son Calum are well known in the sport – both as sabreurs and more recently in Mandy’s case as competition organiser.  She was introduced to this role in the 1990’s when running competitions at Alloa Sports Centre, where Andy and Mandy’s cat Jerry would often visit to see how they were both faring!

At his funeral the range of Andy’s interests was apparent – from the piper echoing his love of music, to the fencing Guard of Honour; to the wearing of kilts showing his love of things Scottish and even the retiring collection in aid of Glenelg Mountain Rescue Team.  A man of many talents.

I’ll remember Andy as a cheerful and helpful friend for whom nothing was too much bother.  His grin was infectious and no-one could be glum when he was around.

Our best wishes go to Mandy, Calum, Eilidh and Clair at this difficult time.

Scottish Veteran's Update - April 2024

Great Performance at the Veterans Age Groups in Nottingham in April

Congratulations to everyone who fenced in Nottingham last weekend with a special mention to those who returned with medals.

Our success is predominantly in Categories 3 and 4, we would like to encourage all 40 and 50 years olds to start or re-engage with fencing and join the competition circuit. Veterans are a friendly and supportive group.

Gold

Julian Ghosh – Edinburgh - MS Category 3

Vivien Frith – Shakespeare’s Swords - WS Category 4

Karen Grant – West Fife – WE Category 3

Hugh Kernohan – Salle Paul – ME Category 3

Andrew Brown – Forth Valley – ME Category 4

Rosalind Graham - Sancroft Blades - WS Category 1

Mike McKay – Sheffield Buccaneers – MF Category 2

Silver

Michele Narey – Bath Sword - WS Category 3

Silvia Brown - Sancroft Blades - WS Category 4

Rory Gibson – Salle Boston – MF Category 1

12 Scottish veterans selected to represent GB in European Teams - Belgium 9 – 12th May

Congratulations to the 12 Scottish veterans selected for the European Teams in Ciney, Belgium. A strong performance with a fifth of the team coming from Scotland.

Veteran Teams age 40-59

·       MF – Mike McKay and Nick Mort

·       WE – Georgina Usher

·       MS – Mo Mansoori

·       WS – Rosalind Graham

Grand Veterans age 60+

·       WF – Sheila Anderson

·       ME – Hugh Kernohan and Andrew Brown

·       WE - Karen Grant

·       WS – Michele Narey, Vivien Frith, Silvia Brown

Best of luck to everyone competing next month!

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