Pathways 2025 - Sign Up

The Pathways Squad is a training programme for under 16s (fencers born 2010–2015) who want to take their next steps in the world of fencing.

You might be training at your club once a week and want to do more; or maybe you’re a competitive fencer looking to enhance your training and improve your performance. Our experienced coaches will meet each fencer at their own level, and help them move along their own personal pathway.

Over six training sessions, fencers will explore areas including maximising club training; preparing for events; drawing inspiration from the world’s best fencers; fencing under pressure; reflecting on performance; and strength and conditioning for fencing.

By working together, fencers will have the opportunity to make friends with other young people and connect with different coaches: creating strong bonds that will support them as they progress through the sport.

Sign up now: Pathways Sign-up Form.
 

Training dates (all Sundays, 10am–3:30pm):

  • 5 October

  • 9 November

  • 14 December

  • 11 January

  • 22 February

  • 15 March

  • Contingency date (in case of session cancellation): 29 March


Venue

Forth Valley Fencing Club
Unit 7, 9 Munro Rd, Stirling FK7 7QX


Age groups

  • U16 born in 2010 or 2011

  • U14 born in 2012 or 2013

  • U12 born in 2014 or 2015


Coaches

Foil: Stan Stoodley
Epee: Rob Blackburne
Sabre: Naomi Farmer

We’ll also be calling in experts from fields such as Strength and Conditioning and Sports Psychology – we’ll share more about them in the coming weeks.

If numbers are high we may also invite in other coaches to support with the sessions.


Cost

£170 for 6 sessions, payable either as a lump sum or in 6 monthly instalments of £28.33.
If you are keen to attend but the cost is too high, Scottish Fencing is pleased to be able to offer a limited number of subsidised spaces.

Please email Alan Martin to discuss in confidence: alan.martin@scottish-fencing.com


Sign up to Pathways

Sign up now: Pathways Sign-up Form.


Any questions?

Email Alan if you have any questions about the Pathways programme: alan.martin@scottish-fencing.com

Coach Education

The coach education weekend on 25/26 October 2025 will be taking place at Forth Valley Fencing Club:

Unit 7

9 Munro Road, Stirling

FK7 7QX

This weekend will include our new Level 1 assistant coach award. This course is aimed at those aged 16-18 or coaches over 18 that are just starting out. Under 16s are unable to receive the certificate until they are 16.

The new Level 2 course is also available.

The new courses have online content to complete pre and post course on the sportscotland Brightspace platform, support and assistance will be given as required.

When you sign up for the weekend we will also add you into a group on Basecamp so we can communicate arrangements and share any information about the weekend. It will also give you the opportunity to ask questions and interact with others that are signed up.

Level 2 candidates need to be 18 before receiving their certificate.

Thanks to subsidies from sportscotland and Scottish Fencing some candidates are able to access coach education for free or at a discounted rate. All we ask in return is for you to log 10 hours of voluntary coaching with your club or community.

Sign up for the October Weekend
 

Coaching U18s - Important information

If you are intending to work with under 18s we will not issue your certificate until you have either joined the PVG scheme through Scottish Fencing or if you are already a PVG member had a scheme update through Scottish Fencing. If you have a PVG membership or scheme update we will issue your certificate as soon as fees and paperwork are submitted.

Please note it is an offence for anyone to coach under18s without a PVG certificate gained through Scottish Fencing. The committee who have allowed this to happen will also be criminally liable.

Obituary - Mandy Kettles

Kindly written by Alison Melville

In April, after a long battle with cancer, Mandy died peacefully at home.  She was a great servant of Scottish Fencing turning her excellent administration skills to running competitions both at youth and senior level and chaperoning youngsters to events in Britain and abroad – even to New Zealand for the Youth Commonwealth Games!  

Mandy Kettles, grinning broadly, being presented with a bunch of flowers as DT at the Stirling Sword

I first crossed swords with Mandy Drummond, as she was then, when she started fencing in the early 1990’s at Stirling Fencing Club.  Although initially a foilist her forte was sabre.  However, she was not adverse to new experiences as shown when in October 1998 she participated in the Central Section Championships finishing 2nd in the Foil, and winning both Sabre and Epée.  This was a good time for Mandy’s fencing; winning both Intermediate Foil and Sabre in season 1997-98 and the Sabre titles in both the Scottish Open and Edinburgh Open in 1998.

She was already showing her organisational skills by this time both in helping to run the Scottish Novices at Alloa Sports Centre and reporting on the event in “The Point”.  This venue was also convenient because it was close enough for her cat Jerry to visit and check all was going according to plan.

Mandy became more involved in running competitions when her son Calum started fencing.  After showing her prowess with the Development Series she became more involved in running Youth events then branched out to running DT at the Scottish Open.  I renewed my acquaintance running competitions with Mandy more recently when I was “persuaded” to help at the Scottish Open while in return she worked with me at the Stirling Sword.  We quickly fell into our old routines and with both of us having similar views on how to organise events and similar senses of humour it was a joy to work alongside her.  She was always so professional and organised.  It is amazing how easy a task is when you do hours of preparation beforehand!

Throughout the years I knew Mandy, as Drummond then as Kettles, I always enjoyed fencing her - we had many a battle, both at foil and sabre!  Even then she was organising – “come on you have to do at least 5 lunges in this fight …”  or “do more attacking  …”  Her musical talent was also on display at the club with the Christmas mince pies being heralded into our salle by her playing the bagpipes.  She was also an inspirational and organised music teacher.

Mandy had a very difficult time during 2024 losing both her husband, Andy, and her father while undergoing treatment.  However that did not stop her running competitions and she became a familiar sight on her scooter.  She was so determined and upbeat no matter what set- backs or new treatments were thrown at her. The terrible news of her death was so unexpected.

Although Scottish Fencing and all Mandy’s friends are poorer with her passing I know my own life is much richer because of our friendship.  Our thoughts are with her children Calum and Eilidh, her niece Clair and her mum Janice at this sad time.

2025 Veterans World Fencing Championships Bahrain

We are delighted to share the names of the Scottish veteran fencers who have qualified to fence for GB at this year's Veterans World Championship in Bahrain, a massive 16% of the squad. Congratulations to you all. 

New age category and team events 

For the first time the competition includes an individual event for those aged 40-49.  Their inclusion, long awaited, also results in a new team format.  With veteran teams (aged 40-49 and 50-59) and grand veteran teams (aged 60 – 69, and 70 +).  SF has four fencers who have qualified for the first time. 

 Selected in the 40-49 category are: 

  • Louisa Dawson, WF 

  • Roz Graham, WF and WS 

  • Paul Stanbridge, MF 

  • Mo Mansoori, MS 

 World Champions 

Our two current world champions have qualified to defend their titles  

  • Georgina Usher, WE 50-59 

  • Sheila Anderson WF 60-69 

 Selected in the 50-59 category are: 

  • Mike McKay, MF 

  • Nick Mort, MF 

 Selected in the 60-69 category are: 

  • Hugh Kernohan, ME 

  • Karen Grant, WE 

  • Maggie Tait, WE 

  • Michele Narey WS 

 Selected in the 70+ category are: 

  • Viv Frith, WS 

  • Sylvia Brown, WS 

Consultation on support for Fencers

We have nearly completed another year of pathways squad and looking forward we are keen to learn what other groups within the membership would like support with to progress their fencing.

Please take a few minutes to complete our online form and give as much information as you can. We will then use this information to look at new opportunities we can offer.

Pathways online consultation

Our website consultation is still open as well, please give us your thoughts using the form below.

Website online consultation

Swordseat Build Orkney Fencing Club

After much anticipation our Swordseat™ Plans arrived from Rick Rodgers at British Fencing.  We had nagged so much that he gave in and said we could test out the plans for a self-build.  We were super excited.

Read below Moya’s detailed and insightful documentation of the build handy hints we found along the way.

STAGE ONE

  • Invite along a fellow fencing coach/ woodworker to work with your woodworking/nonfencing husband

  • Work out which pattern pieces go where and which pieces need to be cut out times two.

  • ·Adjourn for coffee and cake

  • Cut out the pattern pieces

STAGE TWO

  • Move to an enclosed area where you can lay out the 2 sheets of 2440 x 1220 x25mm ply

  • Draw round the pattern pieces, preserving the pattern pieces as you know you will need more than one Swordseat™ set up

  • I suggest a garage/shed floor with enough room to work all round and remember to lay down your decorating sheet(old duvet cover) to stop the ply getting dirty.

  • Doing this indoors is essential in Orkney as the pattern pieces would end up on the neighbouring island if this stage was attempted out of doors.

STAGE THREE

  • Now is the time to move outdoors and use that wind to your advantage.

  • Cut out the plywood allowing the wind to take away the dust(only attempt this on a dry day)

  • Ensure the slots of the base and sides are cut accurately so that the sides touch the ground evenly when fitted into the base.  This prevents a slight instability in use.

Useful tools for cutting out were:

Cordless circular saw

Cordless jigsaw

51mm hole cutter is very useful for cutting the large internal corners and saves a lot of refining.

STAGE FOUR

  • Fit together and trim and sand to ensure the pieces of seat one and seat two are interchangeable and of course able to be change right to left.  This makes it easier in use if pieces get in a muddle.

  • Make sure you do utilise the hole numbering system as this gives you the order of assembly

  • Useful tip is to drill numbering holes only halfway through then drill through to match from the other side of the piece.  This helps avoid blowing out the outer layer of the ply

  • Preserve.  We chose Danish oil as we have plenty of experience using it on hardwood floors

  • Bind hand rail with Tennis racket handle tape

STAGE FIVE

  • Assemble and secure with Ratchet straps, as per the instructions, ensuring ratchet mechanism is tucked safely away.

  • We used 25mm ratchet straps for ease of threading through.  We may go heavier once we see what happens when the Swordseat™ is in use)

  • Put  some rubber strips on the bits that come in contact with the floor.  Ensure what you use is non-marking

  • Add cushions, Fencers and Fencing Circuit and give it a go

Final Thoughts:

  • May need flatter cushion for shorter people

  • No facility for leg strap supports

Orkney Fencing Club would like to thank British Fencing and Scottish Fencing for the support they have provided in making this happen. Keep your eyes posted for further developments at the club over 2025!

2025 - Veterans Home Nations

Congratulations to the Scottish Veterans fencing team who were competing at the Veterans Home Nation Quadrangular in Cardiff earlier this month.

The women’s foil team, who were missing their captain Sheila Anderson, met very strong opposition from the other three teams. The women’s epee team fought valiantly achieving a bronze medal after beating the Irish and only narrowly losing to the Welsh.

In the women’s sabre team, Sylvia Brown sustained an injury in the first match, meaning reserve Karen Grant had to rush onto the piste straight from the epee medal ceremony. The Sabre ladies won against the Welsh, lost narrowly by only 3 points to the Irish. The English ladies won all three weapons.

All three of the men’s teams won silver medals. This left Team Scotland in third place overall, one point behind the Welsh hosts. England won, as usual, with the Irish team a couple of points behind Scotland.

Full results for the 2025 Veterans Home Nation are here:

The teams were:

Women’s Foil

  • Ruth Davidson

  • Louisa Dawson

  • Rosalind Graham

  • Helen Pitt

Women’s Sabre

  • Silvia Brown

  • Viven Frith

  • Rosalind Graham

  • Michele Narey

Women’s Epee

  • Karent Grant

  • Lorna Smith

  • Maggie Tait

Men’s Foil

  • Rory Gibson

  • Mick McKay

  • Nick Mort

  • Paul Stanbridge

Men’s Epee

  • Al Baker

  • Andrew Brown

  • Hugh Kernohan

  • Tim Stephens

Men’s Sabre

  • Keith Davidson

  • Richard Foster

  • Mo Mansoori

  • Brent Myers

First row Men’s Foil, Men’s Sabre, Women’s Epee, Women’s Epee

Second Row Women’s Foil, Women’s Sabre

Glasgow Open 2025 - Results

That's a wrap on another great Glasgow Open!

This year saw over 160 entries across the six weapons, from as far north as Orkney to as far south as Bristol. This year we also pioneered video review for all six main event finals - to our knowledge this is the first time since the Commonwealths in 2014 that a Scottish event has used video review!

 

You can see a full livestream of both days at the 2025 Glasgow open here, with focused coverage of the finals at the end of each day.

The medal and trophy winners are listed below (click here for 2025 Glasgow Open Full results):

See you all again next year!

 Mixed Sabre

1st: Miller Hetherington (Salle Ossian)

2nd: Oisin Lindsay-Dorward (Salle Ossian)

3rd: Patrick Moorehead (University of Aberdeen)

3rd: Lachlan Grant (University of St Andrews)

 Women's Sabre

1st: Rosalind Graham (Sancroft Blades)

2nd: Nicole Saunders (Premier Sabre Academy)

3rd: Amelie Geens (University of St Andrews)

3rd: Lucy Higham (Salle Ossian)

 Mixed Epee

1st: Isaac McKerr (Edinburgh Fencing Club)

2nd: Archie Tyler (Forth Valley Fencing Club)

3rd: Rob Blackburne (Forth Valley Fencing Club)

3rd: Duncan Readle (University of Dundee)

 Women's Epee

1st: Mhairi Gifford (Shetland Fencing Club)

2nd: Lucy Grant (Edinburgh Fencing Club)

3rd: Marie Gerardin (University of Edinburgh)

3rd: Maria Lebedeva (Knightsbridge Fencing Club)

 Women's Foil

1st: Ao Feng (University of Edinburgh)

2nd: Chloe Campbell (Forth Valley Fencing Club)

3rd: Angeline Costello (University of St Andrews)

3rd: Lily Graham (Edinburgh Fencing Club)

 Mixed Foil

1st: Lachlan Grant (University of St Andrews)

2nd: Euan Drummond-Murray (Salle Holyrood)

3rd: Vinson Wong (Salle Holyrood)

3rd: James Havard (Salle Holyrood)

 

And our overall weekend trophies:

Best veteran: Rosalind Graham (Sancroft Blades)

Best student: Lachlan Grant (University of St Andrews)

Dusty Memorial Prize (Best Club): Edinburgh Fencing Club

Mandy Kettles

Scottish Fencing is sad to announce the passing of Mandy Kettles who died 4 April.

Mandy volunteered for many years, running DT at the Scottish Open and the Scottish Schools amongst some of the events she supported. She will be missed by many in the fencing community and Scottish Fencing send condolences to her family Eilidh, Calum and Clair.

Mandy’s funeral is at Stirling Crematorium on Wednesday 30 April at 11am.

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