During the week of the 10th of August, seven kids from east Leeds had a great time learning the basics of the Olympic sport of fencing.
The ‘mini-fence’ programme was delivered by Connect’s Youth Officer, Alan Metcalfe, with the help of Art Club staff member Jade Senior and Games Club Mentor and young volunteer, Matthew. The opportunity to offer the programme came about when Connect was commissioned by Extended Services (part of Education Leeds) to run the lessons as part of their summer activities calendar for Harehills and Richmond Hill.
Each of the five sessions focused on a particular aspect of the sport, from parries and ripostes – that is, blocks and return strikes – to the fancy footwork required in staying one step ahead of your opponent.
The last session also included a ‘no to knives’ talk from staff trained by the Royal Armouries, and everyone involved signed a promise form pledging that they would not carry knives.
The children had great fun taking part in the fencing games and exercises, and Extended Services were very pleased with how well it had gone – as were Connect, who look forward to developing this partnership further and creating even more activities for young people.
The kids involved enjoyed themselves so much, in fact, that they were keen to see Connect start a regular fencing club in their area. There are no plans for this at the moment, but with enough demand it could become a possibility down the line. If you would like to see a club like this in your area please contact Alan Metcalfe on 07985 588 7548.
Posted on Wednesday 11th November 2009