I started fencing at the age of 18 when I started at university to study fine art at Nottingham.  This was, regrettably a bit late as prior to this I lived in rural Lincolnshire.  For many years I worked as an artist producing commissioned portraits, landscapes etc.  After being involved in running the World Student Games in Sheffield in 1992 I was asked to undertake coaching fencing in a number of schools and clubs and it wasn’t long before this took over working life.

I am based in Sheffield and coach predominantly throughout Yorkshire and Derbyshire.  I have also coached in other parts of Britain and abroad, on behalf of Britain, Ireland and Taiwan as a coach at International events including World Championships, European and Asian Zonal Championships etc.  Fencers I have coached at foil and epee have won National Championships at all ages from Under 10s to Senior level, most notably perhaps, the 2011 British Men’s Foil Champion Husayn Rosowsky.  In addition to this, fencers I have coached have won medals in British Senior Championships, World Cadet (Under 17) and European Junior (Under 20) Championships, World Veterans Championships etc.  Many fencers I have coached have represented their country in International events of all levels including European, Asian and World Championships, an Olympic Qualifier and the 2012 Olympic Games.  I am currently part of British Fencing’s coaching team for the Athlete Development Program providing coaching for Britain’s top Cadet and Junior fencers.  Also, I have coached a number of stuntmen, one of whom went on to employ his skills in a French Three Musketeers film! and designed the fencing scene and trained actors for Series 2 of the Netflix production of Bridgerton.  I have on many occasions spent time in Hungary to learn about fencing and coaching fencing.

As a fencer my preferred weapon was always foil, I have made the finals of a number of National Opens, won Regional Championships and experienced many enjoyable and exhilarating moments.  However my real pride is in the achievements of the fencers I have coached and giving young fencers the doorway to the opportunities that the sport can offer has motivated me throughout the years.  Also, I find fencing to be an endlessly fascinating sport, there are always new and exiting things to discover and experience in this sport.