In a University of Gloucestershire sports hall, the clashes of blades replace the sounds of football, netball and basketball. Fencing President William Beaumont is doing his part to keep one of the oldest sports alive.
His journey into fencing didn’t start from professional or Olympic dreams, but from playing with sticks in his back garden.
“I’ve always wanted to do sword fighting ever since I was a kid,” he says. “I was always playing with sticks outside, and this just seems like the natural thing to do.”
As president, Beaumont helps organise sessions, welcome new members and maintain a tight-knit community around the sport.
“I like the community,” he explains. “We’ve got a nice little group here. Everyone is friends, despite fighting each other constantly. We all get along quite well.”
Like many fencers, he has a preferred discipline. The sport is divided into three weapons: foil, sabre and epee. Each comes with its own scoring and tactics.
“My favourite is epee. The rules are a bit different,” he says. “You can be hit anywhere on your body, including your toes, at any time. It adds a bit of extra risk to it.”
That unpredictability is part of the appeal, especially when he manages to land one of his favourite moves.
“I quite like a toe touch,” he laughs. “It catches people unaware.”
Beaumont also believes allowing alumni to return to sessions has been vital for the club.
“I think it’s great,” he says. “Most of our members are alumni. It’s quite a niche sport; there aren’t many people wanting to start fencing, but there are a lot of people who have done it and want to carry on.”
Allowing former students to stay involved has strengthened both membership numbers and the sense of continuity within the club.
“It really helps us out quite a lot,” he adds.
Despite fencing’s reputation as an exclusive or intimidating sport, Beaumont is keen to stress that beginners are always welcome. In fact, he believes the only way to understand the appeal of fencing is simply to try it.
His advice for anyone considering joining is simple: “Give it a go. It’s great fun and keeps you fit as well.”
