New zipper hoodies

Due to popular demand we are considering purchasing some new zipper hoodies for male and female members of the club. It's going to get colder, so why not purchase one before winter hits us.

Please speak to Helen Turner at the next fencing meet to arrange for your purchase. The zipper design hoodie is show in the image above.

23rd September

Hi All,

Just to let you know there is no fencing on Thursday 23rd September due to a school parents evening, so we'll be convening at the Hare and Hounds pub on Old London Road at 8pm instead.

Hope to see you all there!

Helen

Fencing social

Fencing Social - Tuesday 14th September
An Evening of Magic & Mind Reading with Chris Dugdale (directed by Tony Middleton)

Hi All,

On Tuesday 14th September we're organising a fencing outing to see Tony's latest production at the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith, click here for full details.

Tickets will be the bargin price of £10, as long as ten or more of us go (£15 if not).

Please let me know if you'd like to come and bring your money along to fencing on Thursday.

You can email me direct (if you have my email address) or socialATsa-fc.org.uk (replace the AT).

Other halves, friends and all welcome!

Hope to see you all there.

Helen

ps. Date for your diary - Thursday 9th December - Fencing Christmas Meal

Open Air & BBQ

Open Air and BBQ - 12 September

Hopefully this will not come as a surprise to everyone who's been along recently, but our annual open air event is rapidly looming over the horizon. If you haven't had an entry form yet it is available here or if you can get to any club evening one of the committee should have a few copies on them.

If this is your first, its a relaxed day to get a bit of fencing in, show the family quite what it is you do on Thursday nights to come back with odd shaped bruises, and then get stuck into a few beers and BBQ afterwards (or during!).

NO FENCING 22nd JULY

NO FENCING 22nd JULY

There's no fencing this Thursday (22nd July), so Helen Porteous has very kindly offered her garden for a friendly game of rounders and some socialising.

A limited quantity of drink and a few nibbles will be available, please bring your own if you want anything specific, or to drink a lot!

Further details please contact socialATsa-fc.org.uk (replace the AT)

2010 Club Photo

Here is the long awaited 2010 club photo, you can download a larger version from here

Commitee meeting

SA-FC August committee meeting, Tue 13th July 8PM
On the beer terrace at the Sandridge Rd Allotments (behind the King William pub).
Access is from Marshall Avenue, which runs between Sandridge Rd and Beech Rd.
Entrance is between house numbers 24-26. Post code for your Tom Tom AL3 5HT.
Park in the car park and walk on the path that runs directly away from the car park towards the two polly tunnels on the far side of the site.

We’ll be on the beer terrace, or if wet in the far polly tunnel

Beer, snacks, company, executive decisions to be made, and funny shaped vegetables!

Herts County Team Foil Championship

Herts County Team Foil Championship

SAFC entered four teams, representing half the entries (there were ten at one stage). After a brief AGM, at which all proposed resolutions were passed and after a few last minute changes, the pools commenced. Although Liam was organising the event, he kindly offered his services to make up team C- thank you, Liam!

After some gruelling bouts, only A and B teams made the cut to the semi finals, with team A drawing Ayot St Lawrence. This was a hotly contested match, with Zoe, Tony and David W working very hard, only conceding 45:42 at the very end. A great match to watch.

Team B (David and Gill Reid and Max) drew Watford A, but lost 45:13. Guys- if you need consolation, Watford A went on to win, 45-42 against Ayot St Lawrence.

One point that was clearly made during the day- it is quite possible to get several hits against the likes of Paul, Ben, Andy and Chris. Certainly the passing around of information about how the opposition fences from closely watching them helps everyone. They are not invincible!

Well done – EVERYONE. If it is not the taking apart that counts, then it is the taking part that matters.

Afterwards, many participants went to another place to watch another match of a different kind. I would dearly love to say I don’t know what the score of that one was, too- but I am sure everyone knows it already.

T-Shirts!

T Shirts!

At long last (and thanks to the creative talents of Beverley Sullivan) we can finally show you what the next round of T shirts will look like:


We are offering T shirts (and subject to demand, hoodies) for £7 or £15 for the hoodies.
All we need to know is:
Your size
The number you're interested in
Whether you'd like a hoodie.

If you can drop us an email with all this and a cheque for the right amount to Philip, we'll do the rest.

See you all Thursday

Open Air announcement

17th June - News Update

Hi everyone,

Two big announcements this week. The first is that the Open Air is the 12th September and we'd like you and your other halves to be there. Its an opportunity for spouses and loved ones to see quite why we dress up as we do and come back aching on any given Thursday (and enjoy a BBQ and maybe a beer or two while we're at it). Entry forms will be making their way to you shortly.

The other is that the ever talented Tony Middleton will be doing his magic show at the Old Town Hall:
Saturday 19th June, 7:30pm
Sunday 20th June, 7pm

Tickets £10, £7 concs.

Call the festival box office on: 01727 864 511
or tourist information: 01727 844 488
or online: http://www.stalbansfestival.com/theatre/icalrepeat.detail/2010/06/19/158/14/sonics-amazing-magic-shows

Round Up - 25 March Round Up - 25 March

In celebration of the long weekend, please join us for a Curry at the Waterend Barn on 1st April - meet there at 8 and then hopefully onwards for a night on the town!

For those of you interested in competitions and sabre (a minority I know!)

this

might be of interest.

The AGM returned a committee in the form of:

Jon Daley - Chairman

Philip Allen - Treasurer

David Reid - Secretary

James Bird - Armourer

Liam Nichols - Webmaster

Helen Turner - Social Secretary

A very warm thank you to Hazel for all her efforts as Social Secretary over the past two years and also to John Williams for his enormous contribution over the past five years.

Finally we are accepting designs for a new logo to go on club branded kit - so grab your coloured pencils and get scribbling. We'll be looking to select a design in the first week of May - the designer of the winning logo may get something for their efforts.

Annual General Meeting

AGM - Tuesday 16th March 8PM at the Portland Arms

It's that time of year again - time to stand up and be counted, your chance to stand for high office without the danger of being embroiled in an expenses scandal.
8PM start at the Portland Arms http://theportlandarmspub.co.uk/ at AL3 4RA.
We'll be feeding you, so no need to eat before you come.
If you'd like to see the agenda before hand, or have anything you'd like to add to the AOB section, please contact one of the committee.
Look forward to not being able to squeeze into the bar.

Herts Senior Championships

Herts Senior Championships are on the 15th May (Saturday):

Check-In Times:

Novices Foil 10:00 - 10:15
Seniors Foil 11:30 - 11:45
Sabre 14:00 - 14:15
Epee 15:30 - 15:45

Upcoming matches

Upcoming matches - St Albans v

Home to Watford            11th March 2010

Home to Milton Keynes      8th April 2010

Away to Bedford               18th May 2010

Home to Luton                   8th July 2010

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

We resume activities on 7th January 2010 - provided we don't get the type of weather we had last Thursday (We hope

everyone got back alright)

 

See you all on Thursday 7th January 2010

Membership renewals

The social membership cards for the latest beginners course have arrived (We'll distribute at the next club night 7th January 2010 and thereafter).

 

We would also like to remind you to check that you have up-to-date BFA membership and hence insurance cover.

 

Basically, you have to renew your membership every 12 months.  Social membership needs to be renewed through the club (ie, via David Reid) but you can take out/ re-new full membership online

britishfencing.com

directly.  (Generally speaking, if you intend to fence competitively at a number of venues then you should be taking out full membership.)

 

SAFC closed 20th & 27th August

The St Albans Fencing Club is closed on August 20th & 27th, 2009 as the sports hall receiving a new protective varnish coat on its floor surface.

August 20th we're heading down to the

Waterend Barn

more details at the next fencing night.

August 27th we will be having a bowling night in

Watford bowling centre

. More information will be posted in the next few days.

Beginners course announced for October

We're pleased to announce the next beginners course which is scheduled for October, 2009.

Please visit the

beginners course page

for more information.

Welcome to the new St Albans Fencing Club website

Welcome to the new site, if you have any suggestions or content you would like to add to the site please use the

members contact form

and let us know what you have to offer or what suggestions you have for the site. We'll see what we can do.

We'd also like you to use the

members contact form

to update your contact details.

If you are a current member please ensure you subscribe to the site to receive updates whenever the site is updated. You can subscribe to this site by entering you email address in the subscription box on the left of this page.

We hope you like the new site and welcome and suggestions/comments.

New safety rules. This affects you!

From January 2006, if you are fencing with electric weapons, you will need to ensure that your clothing conforms to the ` following new safety standards:
1. Jacket - minimum CEN1/ 350 Newtons
2. Plastron - minimum CEN2/ 800 Newtons
3. Mask - minimum 350 Newton bib (PLUS must be fitted with safety back strap)
4. Breeches - minimum CEN1/ 350 Newtons PLUS now compulsory for all electric fencing

Please note that these rules apply to all electric fencing - even just practicing on club nights. (There are even more exacting rules covering FIE A-grade competitions - see the BFA web-site for further details.)

While the club has bought some 800 Newton plastrons (principally for beginners), all members should be aware that it is their individual responsibility to ensure that they have the correct equipment. Details of the FIE safety standards are posted on the BFA web-site and displayed on the club notice board, but if you are unclear about how the rules affect you, please ask a committee member.

An 800 Newton plastron will cost in the region of £30; breeches around £40.

Remember, these rules come into effect from January 2006. You are responsible for your own compliance. Besides the obvious risk to your personal safety in the event of an accident, your BFA insurance is likely to be invalidated if you fail to comply with the new standards.