Welcome to Fernwood

DISCOVER - ENJOY - COMPETE

We promote the sport of fencing and physical fitness in a fun, safe, environment in Newark, for children, young people and adults (young and older). We are a volunteer run East Midlands club offering affordable beginners' programmes, training and sparring opportunities in a friendly, social atmosphere. Drop in and see us or contact us through facebook or this site for more details.

Who we are

Questions?

We are very pleased to advise you that Fernwood Swords will be re-opening it's doors on

Tuesday 28th September at 19:30

However, attendance will be restricted at this first session to those with their own kit as we will be checking all equipment during the session to ensure its in good order and ready for newcomers. Please bear with us on this.

Finally for now, we are not aware of any specific processes in place at the sports centre following relaxation of COVID rules but it should go without saying that you can't attend if you have either Covid-19 symptoms or have had a positive test in the prior 10 days.

ANDREW SUTTON

Club Membership

Fernwood Sword Club seeks to make the sport of fencing accessible and affordable

Your initial session is free so you can try before you commit.

We just ask that you wear suitable clothing - jogging bottoms, T-Shirt and trainers - and bring a water bottle.

For newcomers to the sport, we have kit that can be used at no additional cost.

Club Membership

£15 per month

Single membership

Access to the club nights.

Basic coaching support

Club Membership

£10 per month

Membership for second and subsequent family members

Access to the club nights

Basic coaching support

Non-Member

£5 per session

Walk-in fee for general sparring

Choose your weapon

Fernwood offers all three fencing weapons - our main focus is on foil.

FOIL

Light-weight, flexible swords with a thin blade.

The most common weapon to start learning with - historically it was the training weapon for duels.

Weapons have a button on the end - not a sharp tip!

Only the torso is a target. There are rules about who has the right to attack.

Find out more

EPEE

Similar to foils but heavier with a v-shaped blade

A popular weapon because the rules are simple - there's no priority in attack.

Like foils, weapons have a button rather than a sharp tip.

The whole body, excluding the head, is a target.

Find out more

SABRE

Wider, flat and looks like a cutlass.

Duels are short and fast. There is priority to attack and the target area is the top half of the body, including the head.

You can hit with the side or the tip of the blade.

Find out more

Coaching

At Fernwood we seek to develop our coaches as well as our fencers. Ratings stated below relate to British Fencing Coaching Standards.

All are DBS checked. We also have guest coaches working with us from time to time.

Andrew Sutton

Level 2 Rated for Foil

Andrew is the Club's founder and has been a coach for 11 years. He works primarily with the clubs beginner groups, developing core skills needed to support a fencer in any of the three weapons.
Andrew also works with the clubs developing foilists seeking to compete in regional and national competition.

Paul Sibert

Level 4 Rated for Foil, Epee, Sabre

Paul has been involved in the sport for over 30 years, with 20 of those as a coach. He has coached fencers to British Cadet, Junior and BYC medals as well as to European and World Cadet / Junior championships.

In addition to his work with Fernwood, Paul is Lead Performance Coach for the University of Nottingham Fencing Programme.

Sharon Jones

Level 1 Rated for Foil, Epee

Working alongside Andrew with the club's newer fencers Sharon is an invaluable asset to Fernwood.
Having seen and supported as a fencing parent her two (now) adult fencers from first steps through to local, national and international competition, Sharon has a wealth of knowledge of the sport at England and GB levels.