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CLUB DIGEST SEPTEMBER 2023

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All the latest news and information for BF clubs

GB LEAGUE STARTS OCTOBER 1ST
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The GB League is an exciting recreational league taking place within BF affiliated clubs where you can earn national league points for participating in competitive club fencing in designated league fixtures.

Taking part in your local GB League fixture (whether you win or lose!) will see you gain points which link to national GB League leaderboards and Mini League Leaderboards.

See where you are on the national leaderboards in the 5-Hit and 15-Hit tables against all other GB League fencers in the UK!

Traditional boundaries of age groups and gender are removed, with all fencers (recreational level members or above) able to take part and fence each other and earn GB League points. Every bout sees both fencers gain points towards the GB League leaderboards.

GB LEAGUE ZONE
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BF LEARNING WEEK RECAP

BF held its second iteration of Learning Week between the 4th and 8th September 2023. The event featured webinars and discussions hosted by different guest speakers, both from the fencing community and sport more widely.

We’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who attended this year’s BF Learning Week. The feedback has been incredibly positive, and we are appreciative of how much people engaged with the sessions. We hope that the insights from the events have helped you in your respective role in our community.

We’ve also received requests for recordings of the sessions, and we’ll do our best to upload them as soon as we can.

If you haven’t already, please make sure to complete the feedback surveys for the sessions that you attended. Doing so helps us to improve future iterations of Learning Week, and it only takes 5 minutes.

To provide general feedback about BF Learning Week, such as what topics you’d like to hear about in future, please click on the link below:

GENERAL FEEDBACK

Below are the notes from sessions dedicated to clubs

‘Club Zone – what’s on offer for BF’s affiliated clubs’.

Hannah Gavin, BF’s Development Officer, will talk through the newly updated Club Zone on the website. The aim will be to talk through what the zone has been designed to inform members on as well as asking for feedback on what clubs would like to see more of and which areas they deem as important for them.

See session slides here

‘What is the GB League?’

Find out about BF’s recreational, competitive product. Hosting a GB League fixture is as simple as running a normal competitive fencing club session. The format for the GB League has been designed to be a simple addition that fits in with what we know clubs do really well already. With no formal requirements for piste layout, referees and timed bouts, it can be adapted to suit the needs of any club.

See session slides here

‘Completing Club and Competition Risk Assessments – Identifying, Managing and Recording Risks’.

In order to have valid insurance, coaches, club administrators and competition organisers need to have risk assessments in place. This session will cover the basics of creating a risk assessment – how to identify, record and control risks, with the help of a simple template. We will also update you on the risks that we would expect to see recorded and discuss the options to control and minimise these risks. Session will be presented by Georgina Usher

See session slides here
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BF AGM INVITATION TO MEMBERS

The British Fencing Board formally invites members to the Annual General Meeting, which will be held at 5pm on Friday 6th October 2023 on Zoom. Members should register attendance by 5pm on 4th October 2023.

  • Date of Meeting: 5pm on Friday 6th October 2023
  • Deadline for Registration and Proxy Forms: 5pm 4th October 2023
  • Registration and Proxy Form here

Dear Member,

On behalf of the British Fencing Board, I invite you to the Annual General Meeting of British Fencing Association Limited to be held on Zoom at 5pm on 6th October 2023, where your Board will invite you to:

  1. receive the accounts for the financial year ending 31 March 2023
  2. note the election of the following Directors who will join the Board as a Elected Directors:
  • Brian Brittain
  • Jade Clarke
  • Tommy Curran Jones
  • John Troiano

The Annual Report and Accounts will be published here on our website when available.

Details of the new Elected Directors can be found here.

Francis Wilkinson, in his capacity as Chair of the Board’s subcommittee for Audit, Governance & Risk, will take members through the accounts and finances and respond to your questions.

Questions should be submitted in advance using the registration form.

The formal notice of the Meeting and resolutions to be proposed are set out here. If you wish to attend the AGM please complete the registration form here by 5pm on 4th October 2023 and you will be sent a link and access details nearer the time.

If you would like to vote on the resolution but cannot attend the meeting, you can appoint another person as your proxy to exercise all or any of your rights to attend, vote and speak at the Meeting but you must complete the proxy form (attached to the registration form here).

I hope you are able to attend the Annual General Meeting and look forward to your continued involvement in, and enjoyment of, our sport.

Mark Lyttle

Chair, British Fencing
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UPCOMING COURSES

Are you looking to up skill your volunteers? Check out the upcoming courses BF have that are available to book now;

COACHING COURSES

  • ITCF Durham 02-03.09.2023 (Foil, Epee, Sabre) – open for bookings (3 places available)
  • Online ITCF Epsom 03.09.2023 (Foil, Epee, Sabre) – open for bookings (4 places available)
  • CFL2 Nottingham 09-10/16-17.09.2023 (Foil, Epee, Sabre) – open for bookings (1 place available)
  • ITCF Swindon 28-29.10.2023 – open for bookings (7 places available)
  • ITCF Cambridge (in negotiation)
  • ITCF Norwich in negotiation)
  • ITCF Manchester (in negotiation)
  • ITCF Cardiff (in negotiation)
  • ITCF London (in negotiation)
  • CFL2 London All Weapons (in negotiation)

WELFARE COURSES

  • BF Online Renewal SPC Course – This course has been phased out is being replaced by SafeGuard Core. Click here to read more.
  • SafeGuard Core 05.12.2023 – 18:00 – 21:00 (4 spaces available)
  • SafeGuard Welfare Officer 19.09.2023 – 18:00 – 21:00 (9 spaces available)
  • SafeGuard Welfare Officer 11.10.2023 – 18:00 – 21:00 (3 spaces available)
  • SafeGuard Welfare Officer 11.11.2023 – 9:00 – 12:00 (11 spaces available)

REFEREE COURSES

LEVEL 2 – REFEREE COURSES

Saturday 7th October Level 2 Foil

Details to be confirmed. Venue Newham Junior Series Foil Event

Sunday 19th November Level 2 practical Epee Assessment

  • Time 08.30-18.00
  • Venue Tudor Grange Leisure Centre, Blossomfield Road, Solihull, B91 1NB
  • Fee £20
  • Assessor: Lynne Melia
  • Please note the online theory will take place the week before. The course information can be found here.
  • Contact Richard Burn or mobile 07967267663

LEVEL 3 PRACTICAL ASSESSMENT

25th & 26th November 2023 – Scottish Open

Please contact Sam Mclellan to register.

LEVEL 4 (MOCK FIE) REFEREE ASSESSMENTS

For any referee course queries, please contact Nickie Bailey.

To find out more details and to book your place or contact the relevant person please head to the website here.

Can’t see what you’re looking for? Let us know via our Expression of Interest Form.
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COMMUNITY DISCUSSION EVENTS – DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

The next wave of community discussion event dates have been released;

Tuesday 10th October 2023 12pm & 6pm Wheelchair Community Discussion Event.

BF are excited to support Welsh Fencing and Scottish Fencing to include Wheelchair Fencing at their Open events in November 2023.

As part of Welsh Fencing and Scottish Fencing’s commitment to provide opportunities for wheelchair fencing competitions, they will be including an Open wheelchair competition, meaning no classification is required.

The Home Nations are aware that not everyone who wants to fence sitting down is currently classified or is interested or able to be classified under the Paralympics system and they don’t want that to stop people from being able to take part in the sport.

If you have always been fascinated by wheelchair fencing, but you aren’t a wheelchair user day to day, these events are designed for you.

Read more here.

If you are interested in attending this event please sign up via the form here.

Thursday 12th October 2023 12pm & 6pm Community Discussion Event – Welfare Officers.

Thursday 16th November 2023 12pm & 6pm Community Discussion Event – Clubs.

Tuesday 23rd January 2024 12pm & 6pm Community Discussion Event – Welfare Officers.

Tuesday 13th February 2024 12pm & 6pm Community Discussion Event – Clubs.

Thursday 16th April 2024 12pm & 6pm Community Discussion Event – Welfare Officers.

Thursday 9th May 2024 12pm & 6pm Community Discussion Event – Clubs.

Sign up will be sent out to all registered Welfare Officers and Club Admins on sport80.

Keep an eye on the webpage here for more sessions
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REMINDER: IS ALL YOUR CLUB’S CONTACT INFORMATION UP TO DATE?

Make sure all contacts on your club profile are up to date to ensure that the club is kept in the loop with all the latest information.

  1. CLUB ADMINS – Check your club details are up to date on the Sport80 membership platform. We are still getting a number of undelivered messages when we send emails, to club contacts. Please ask your club secretary to check and update the club profile if necessary.
  2. COACHES AND WELFARE OFFICERS – It’s a good time to check that all your coaches and welfare officers are up to date with their required certificates. Remember you can add them to our online Coach Register and Welfare Officer lists (see our requirements for coaches here and welfare officer guidance here).
  3. COVID-19 OFFICERS – We are requesting that clubs as part of their return to play practices appoint a COVID-19 Officer. To register your COVID-19 Officer on the membership platform please see instructions here.
  4. MEMBERS – Encourage your members to check their own details are up to date on the Sport80 membership platform.
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A selection of the latest news from BF.

Remember to keep up to date on our website.

MARCUS MEPSTEAD WINS IOC CLIMATE AWARD

GBR foil fencer and 2020 Olympian Marcus Mepstead has won in the Sustainable Travel category of the inaugural IOC Climate Action Awards, announced on Friday 29th September 2023.

Launched in November 2022, the IOC Climate Action Awards recognise Olympic and Paralympic athletes, international sports federations and national Olympic committees (NOCs) for proactive efforts in tackling climate change.

Mepstead, a long-time environmental advocate who has done work for the Trees For The Future charity, was shortlisted in both the Athlete Advocacy and…

COMBAT CLUB: THE CRY OF THE SPIRIT

Eager to improve their fight-craft, four combat sports are uniting to share insights and experience with the aim of better securing excellence in performance.

British Fencing brought together coaching counterparts from GB and England Boxing, British Wrestling and British Judo and convened their first bout of…

JOIN THE COACH REGISTER IN 7 STEPS

We have created a comprehensive video outlining all seven requirements to assist BF members in their journey to become registered coaches. This registration also ensures coverage under public liability for coaching delivery.

Are you aspiring to become a registered coach, but are unsure about what specific requirements you need to..

WHEELCHAIR FENCING FRAME LOAN SCHEME – APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN

Applications are now open for the 2023 DiSE programme.

We would like to tell you about an opportunity to become part of a government-funded training programme, the Diploma in Sporting Excellence (DiSE), part of British Fencing’s Athlete Development Programme (ADP), leading to…

DENISE JOHNSON JOINS BF AS GBR ADMINSTRATOR

Denise Johnson has joined British Fencing, taking up the position as GBR Administrator.

Denise’s background is in Regulatory Compliance, with fifteen years as a Border Force Officer.

As a GBR Administrator Denise will provide project office support and…

CLUB ZONE

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