Blog

It’s almost Halloween and the 5th of November, are you ready!!!!.

Term Details

New Mini Term (9am–10am)

Dates: 2nd Nov to 14th Dec (7 weeks)

Fees: £56 for the term. Please see further details below. Fees are payable as usual on the website here:

Pay your Term and PAYG Fees

Other timings

Sunday 10am–12pm Fencers

No change here, we start at 10am, and go through to 12pm

Wednesday 7pm–9pm Fencers

Again no change. ******* Please be aware the 5th Nov falls on a Wednesday this year so no fencing that night *******

Fees

These remain unchanged and should be being paid by Standing Order, if you are paying for a Mini fencer please use the link above.

A reminder the Pay As You Go fees are Adults £12, Juniors £10 per session.  PAYG is only availble for the 10am session and for experienced fencers.

Competitions

Its the new competition season and a number of our fencers are overseas at competitions, good luck to them all.  But if you are looking for something a bit closer to home the following are coming up.

    Hampshire Open 1st Nov 2025 (vets on the 2nd)

    County Competition 23rd Nov at Burgess Hill

    Veterans Guildford Open 9th-12 Jan 2026

    British Youth Championship South East Qualifiers 6-7th Feb 2026

The county competition has only just gone onto sport 80 so please book up ASAP. The organisers of the BYC Qualifiers have said they got close to closing entries last year so please book early to avoid disappointment   

Christmas Social (Advance Notice)

Nothing has been finalised at present but our hope is that our Christmas social will be on 14th December, which is also the last Minis session before the Christmas break. Venue yet to be announced.

Christmas gifts and discount codes

Branded Team Clothing

We still have some branded team clothing, for pieces we have in stock the prices are

Hoodie £35 / Adult T’s £20 / Kids T’s £15

If you are looking to purchase blades, white kit and or accessories then we have a couple of discount codes

Excalibur Fencing (https://excalibursports.co.uk/) LEWFC10

PBT Fencing (https://pbtukfencing.co.uk/) LFCCM

Courses

Adult Course 14+:  Our next adult course will be running from the 4th Feb for 6 weeks, cost will be £70.

6-10 Year olds: We run tasters every Sunday, the fee for this taster is £12

11-13 year olds: We do not have a date for the next course but are building a waiting list

If you know anyone would be interested in any of these courses get them to contact the club

Take care this Halloween, we look forward to seeing you all soon.

Ashley, Claire, Della, Gavin, Gordon, Jo, Lewis, and Simon

The LFC Committee

The summer is nearly done and the new fencing season starts soon, of course we have been fencing throughout the summer. Many thanks if you came to any of the Sunday or Wednesday sessions.  It’s also been great to see the Uni students back and to see how their fencing has improved.

Term Details

New Mini Term (9am–10am)

Dates: 7th September – 19th October (7 Weeks)

Fees: £56 for the term. Please see further details below. Fees are payable as usual on the website here:

Pay your Term and PAYG Fees

For those who are planning for the future the Mini Term after the next runs from 2nd Nov to 14th Dec

Sunday 10am–12pm Fencers

No change here, we start at 10am, and go through to 12pm

Wednesday 7pm–9pm Fencers

Again no change. Please be aware the 5th Nov falls on a Wednesday this year so no fencing that night

Fees

These remain unchanged and should be being paid by Standing Order, if you are paying for a Mini fencer please use the link above.

A reminder the Pay As You Go fees are Adults £12, Juniors £10 per session.  PAYG is only available for the 10am session and for experienced fencers.

Branded Team Clothing

We still have some branded team clothing, for pieces we have in stock the prices are

Hoodie £35 / Adult T’s £20 / Kids T’s £15 / Adult T’s £20

We will be placing an ‘As needed’ order soon. No doubt the prices will have gone up, if you would like an item speak to Della or Gordon and we will see if we have it in stock, if not we can take details and get prices for you before placing the order.

Competitions

Whilst its the new season Sussex Fencing Union unfortunately does not have anything booked in for local competitions, they are actively working on this so we will update you as soon as we know.  All BF ratified competitions can be found under Events on Sport 80. Some notable competitions though are

• Hampshire Open 1st Nov 2025

• Veterans Guildford Open 9th-12 Jan 2026
• British Youth Championship South East Qualifiers 6-7th Feb 2026

Safety

We have have noticed a few incidents over the last few months, luckily there have been no injuries.  Whilst they have been dealt with at the time it is worth noting to everyone the following. 

• Sword points must be kept down at all times when not fencing
• NEVER point a sword at anyone who is not wearing safety equipment
• Correct equipment conforming to BF regulations (https://www.britishfencing.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Safety-Guidelines-2025.pdf) and of an appropriate size must be worn at all times when fencing; non-slip footwear must be worn
• Before starting play, check your own equipment and that of opponent – make sure it is done up, correctly worn and check the blade (no sharp bends, tip covered)
• Make sure you fence in an area clear of obstruction, hazard and other fencers. Make sure that during movement your play keeps clear of them
• The play area must be kept clear of spare equipment and bags
• If a blade breaks stop immediately, shout ‘STOP’, cease all fencing
• Warn your partner if you wish to stop (hazard, sneeze, etc) raise your non-sword hand and say ‘Stop Please’
• DO NOT remove your mask until play has ceased and it is safe to do so
• Violent play is dangerous and against the rules of combat

Courses & Private Tuition

Beginners Course

Our next adult (14+) course will start on 24th September. If you have any friends who’d like to try fencing, have them get in touch or sign up using the form found here https://www.lewesfencingclub.org.uk/sign-up-for-our-next-course-for-adults-or-taster-session-for-the-younger-ones/.

Indigo Course

26th-29th October At the Davison Centre in Worthing, details are up on the door.

Whilst 1 to 1 & group coaching is available during club free of charge, Lewis is available for extra tuition between 8-9am and 12-1pm. To discuss availability and rates please call him on 07802 684 104 .

Christmas Social (Advance Notice)

Nothing has been finalised at present but our hope is that our Christmas social will be on 14th December, which is also the last Minis session before the Christmas break. Venue yet to be announced.

We look forward to seeing you all soon.

Ashley, Claire, Della, Gavin, Gordon, Jo, Lewis, and Simon The LFC Committee

Hi All, Summer is almost upon us, we have had a few warm days to remind us what is coming, but I see british weather is about to remind us its still early in the summer 

Term Details

New Mini Term (9am–10am)

Dates: 8th June April – 13th July (6 Weeks)

Fees: £48 for the term. Please see further details below. Fees are payable as usual on the website here:

Pay your Term and PAYG Fees

Sunday 10am–12pm Fencers

Everyone else we continue to fence on Sunday and don’t forget we now go throughout the summer.  Please remember if you start at 10am you do not need to leave at 11am, we fence through to 12pm, we would love to see you stay on.

Wednesday 7pm–9pm Fencers

Your session continues as normal and again we will be going throughout the summer.

Fees please read as action may be required

Thanks to everyone who have updated their standing orders, there are a few who haven’t done so, so could you please update them before your next payment. 

• Juniors (1 session/week): £25 per month (approx. £6 per session)
• Juniors (2 sessions/week): £45 per month (approx. £5.50 per session)
• Adults (1 session/week): £30 per month (approx. £7 per session)
• Adults (2 sessions/week): £55 per month (approx. £6.50 per session)

And a reminder the Pay As You Go fees are: Adults £12, Juniors £10 per session

Branded Team Clothing

We still have some branded team clothing, for pieces we have in stock the prices are

Hoodie £35 / Adult T’s £20 / Kids T’s £15

We will be placing an ‘As needed’ order soon, no doubt the prices will be go up, so please if you would like an item speak to Della or Gordon and we will see if we have it in stock.  If not we will take details and will get prices for you before placing the order.

Competitions

29th June – U12 & U16 Sussex County Teams / Venue: The Triangle, Burgess Hill

U12: born 2013 or later    

U16: born 2009 or later

29th June – Sussex County Senior Novice / Venue: The Triangle, Burgess Hill

Open to those aged 13+ on the day.

19th July Senior Teams / Venue: TBA but Horsham probably

Open to those aged 13+ on the day.

A novice is defined as someone who has fenced their weapon for less than two years.  If you want to enter either of the team comps and cannot get your team together please speak to Lewis or Della and they will put people together. As this team competition on the 29th June is creeping up on us we need to get teams together very soon.  Don’t be shy.

Kit 

We need a talented persons help!!

Our kit is old. and starting to fall apart. if any of you have sewing skills could you help us? The skills required go from fairly simple jobs of replacing of velcro of gloves, to full zip replacement of jackets.  The latter is very much a technical job needing a good sewing machine.  We can reimburse for any parts but unfortunately cannot extend to paying for labour.  We are happy for people to help as much or as little as they are able.

If you borrow kit, please return it to the correct place: jackets on hangers, plastrons on hooks, and breeches in the correct bags.

Website

We’ve said this before—our website needs an overhaul to bring it up to date with a fresh look, better feel, and updated content. If anyone has the skills to help, please get in touch!

Courses

Beginners Course

Our next adult (14+) course will start on 24th September. If you have any friends who’d like to try fencing, have them get in touch.

Summer Social (Advance Notice)

Our summer social will be on 13th July, which is also the last Minis session before the summer break. The Dorset seems to be the venue again, mostly because they are the only ones who can cope with the number, are centrally located and have an inside and outside options depending on the weather.  Please if you have any other ideas on a location get back to Della ASAP.

We look forward to seeing you all soon.

Ashley, Claire, Della, Gavin, Gordon, Jo, Lewis, and Simon

The LFC Committee

Hi All, We hope you had a great Easter and are eager to fence off the excess chocolate!

Here are the dates for the new mini term:

New Mini Term (9am–10am)

Dates: 27th April – 25th May (5-week term)

Fees: These are changing this term and will be £40 for the term. Please see further details below. Fees are payable as usual on the website here:

Pay your Term and PAYG Fees

Advance warning: Summer Mini Term is from 8th June – 13th July (6 weeks)

Sunday 10am–12pm Fencers

You are also back on the 27th and If you normally fence on Sundays in the 10am to 12pm session, you are more than welcome to make up for missing the 20th by visiting us on Wednesday 23rd. Please note this is not a coaching session, so you’ll need to be happy looking after yourself on the piste.

Wednesday 7pm–9pm Fencers

Your session continues as normal

Fees please read as action is required

As a committee, we’ve been reviewing our fees and comparing them with other clubs. It’s difficult to do direct comparisons as clubs have different session structures—some rent out kit, others charge extra for coaching.

We haven’t changed our membership fees in several years, but our hall rental, running costs, and kit expenses have all increased. We’ve now reached a point where we need to increase fees to ensure we can continue to provide the same level of coaching, kit availability, and space required for a club of our size.

Effective from 27th April (when Minis return after Easter), our fees will be:

• Minis: £8 per week, paid per term
• Juniors (1 session/week): £25 per month (approx. £6 per session)
• Juniors (2 sessions/week): £45 per month (approx. £5.50 per session)
• Adults (1 session/week): £30 per month (approx. £7 per session)
• Adults (2 sessions/week): £55 per month (approx. £6.50 per session)
• Pay As You Go: Adults £12, Juniors £10 per session

PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR STANDING ORDERS ARE UPDATED IN TIME.

Coaching

Our incredible coaches will continue to deliver group and individual lessons on Sundays. Wednesdays are now getting busier, but we still welcome more participants. Don’t forget, anyone who is happy fencing on an open piste is welcome to join us on Wednesdays as well as Sundays.

We’ve also noticed some people tend to leave just after 11. This is a holdover from when coaching used to finish at 11, but anyone fencing from 10am is welcome to stay until 12. Please make the most of this time.

Roughly a quarter of fencers have already worked on goal setting with Lewis—this will continue after the BYCs in May. If you’re already working towards your goals, keep it up! Otherwise, speak to Lewis to get started.

Competitions

17th May – Ardingly Friendly (U10s)

Suitable for Beginners, Novices, and Experts

Venue: Ardingly College, Haywards Heath

Entry: Speak to Lewis

29th June – U12 & U16 Sussex County Teams

Venue: The Triangle, Burgess Hill

• U12: born 2013 or later
• U16: born 2009 or later

29th June – Sussex County Senior Novice

Open to those aged 13+ on the day.

A novice is defined as someone who has fenced their weapon for less than two years.

Second-hand Kit & Kit Room

We will be launching a second-hand kit board in the coming weeks. The aim is simply to connect sellers with buyers. Simon will be leading this initiative—please speak to him if you have items to offer.

If you borrow kit, please return it to the correct place: jackets on hangers, plastrons on hooks, and breeches in the correct bags.

Website

We’ve said this before—our website needs an overhaul to bring it up to date with a fresh look, better feel, and updated content. If anyone has the skills to help, please get in touch!

Courses

Beginners Course

Our next adult (14+) course will start on 24th September. If you have any friends who’d like to try fencing, have them get in touch.

Indigo Course

25th & 26th May, 9:30–4:30 at Davison Leisure Centre, Worthing

Cost: £100

See the ‘Door’ at the club for more details.

Summer Social (Advance Notice)

Our summer social will be on 13th July, which is also the last Minis session before the summer break. We’re yet to confirm the venue, but please keep the date free—we’d love to see you all there!

We look forward to seeing you all soon.

Ashley, Claire, Della, Gavin, Gordon, Jo, Lewis, and Simon The LFC Committee

Hi All New Mini Term Incoming!!

New Mini (9am-10am) Term Minis are back fencing this weekend, here are the terms’ details

It’s a 7-week term, thanks to a late Easter, we start back on the 2nd March and go through to the 13th April. Fees will be £35, payable as usual on the website here https://www.lewesfencingclub.org.uk/purchase/

Note for everyone: The club will be shut on the 20th April for Easter Sunday

Youth Competitions

It’s really great to see that our teen fencers are wanting to compete, and whilst we have some good comps very local, sometimes it’s not enough, so we are to expand our reach to within a couple of hours of Lewes.

Saturday 1st March 2025 – Elite Epee Junior series : Suitable for Novices and Experts Moulton College, Northamptonshire NN3 7S Entry : eliteepee.com

Saturday 29th March Leon Paul junior series U14s novices : Suitable for Novices and Experts

Leon Paul centre, London NW9 6AQ Entry : leonpauljuniorseries.co.uk

Sunday 30th March Leon Paul junior series U10s U12s U17s  : Suitable for Novices and Experts

Leon Paul Centre, London NW9 6AQ Entry : leonpauljuniorseries.co.uk

Saturday 12th April Elite Epee Junior series: Suitable for Beginners, novices, Experts

Ashtead Park, Nr Leatherhead KT21 1ET Entry : eliteepee.com

Saturday 17th May Ardingly friendly U10s: Suitable for Beginners, novices, Experts Ardingly College Haywards Heath Entry : Speak to Lewis

Senior Competitions

Saturday 15th March Invicta

Open : Canterbury Entry via Sport 80

Saturday 29th March Senior South East Epee : Venue to be confirmed

Both sets of competitions will be on the kit room door.

Course Alert

Maggie Maynard is running her next Indigo course over the easter holidays. It runs over 3 days from the 6th to the 8th April (you can do 1, 2 or all 3 days) at the Davison Leisure Centre from 9:30-4:30. It is suitable for fencers young, old and in between.  The cost for 3 days is £195 3 days Contact Maggie@sea-lodge.co.uk

Fees

As a committee, we have been looking at our fees and comparing them to other clubs.  It is difficult for us to do straight comparisons as clubs have different hour structures, some clubs have a rental system for kit and in other clubs, you pay extra for coaching.  We have not changed our membership fees for a number of years, yet our hall rental, running fees and kit purchasing have all increased.  It has now got to a point where we need to increase our fees to make sure we can keep offering the level of coaching we have been, with the kit and space that we need for a club of our size.

Whilst next term the fees will stay the same, as of the 27th April (when the minis return after Easter) we will need to increase our fees.  Our fees will become

Minis: £8 per week paid per term

Juniors one session per week: £25 per month (approx £6 per session)

Juniors two sessions per week: £45 per month (approx £5.50 per session)

Adults one session per week: £30 per month (approx £7 per session)

Adults two sessions per week: £55 per month (approx £6.50 per session)

PAYG Adults £12 Juniors £10 per session

These new fees do not come in until later in the year, we will remind you closer to the date.

Our incredible coaches will continue to deliver group and individual lessons on Sundays and whilst we are now busy on Wednesdays, we still welcome more, don’t forget any anyone who is happy to fence on an open piste can join us on Wednesdays as well as Sundays. We have also noticed people tend to leave just after 11, this is a throwback to some of our coaching finishing at 11. Anyone fencing from 10 o/c is welcome to stay on until 12.  Please do make use of this time.

The coaches, mostly, Lewis have been working hard on a compete pathway to help those who really want to take competition to the next level.  We are also working on a general structure for the Sunday 10 o/c fencers.  Watch this space.

2nd Hand Kit & Kit Room

We will be starting a 2nd hand kit board in the coming weeks, our aim is just to introduce people selling with people who want to purchase kit.  Simon will be spearheading this initiative so if you want to offer anything just speak to Simon.

Gordon has added some markers to the white kit hanging system so as to make it easier to identify the locations of different sizes of Jackets. Could we please ask that if you are borrowing kit you put it back where you found it, on a hanger (jackets) or a hook (plastrons) and breeches in the correct bags.

Club Competition

Don’t forget we still have the club competition running. 

Committee and Website

We welcome Gavin to our committee. He has no

set agenda at present, but I am sure we will co-opt him in to do something soon. Thanks for Volunteering, Gavin.

We have said this before, our website needs an overhall to bring it up to date with a new look, feel and content.  If anyone has the skills to make this happen please do get in touch.

We look forward to seeing you all soon.

Ashley, Claire, Della, Gavin, Gordon, Lewis and Simon. The LFC Committee