Godalming Fencing Club Open Evening

The Club is holding an open evening for beginners and experienced fencers on 6th February 2008. Details can be found on the poster.

Prestigious award for founder member

The Club members were delighted when Sport Godalming awarded Diane Austin the 2007 Chris & Jenny Slyfield Trophy. This is awarded to a person who has given outstanding service to Sport in Godalming and is selected at the Judges discretion.

This year they decided to give this award to a lady who has been fencing since she was eighteen years old and was the founder member of the Guildford Fencing Club and is now an honorary member. Last year, she entered the Commonwealth games as a veteran in fencing and won the gold medal, in Edinburgh. This year she was awarded a Silver Medal at foil category IV at this year’s Commonwealth Veteran Fencing Championships at Toronto, Canada. She competed in the Veteran's European Championships at St Fallen, Switzerland. She is a former Ladies Captain of Surrey and the South East. At one time she competed in many open competitions throughout the country and also in Europe at Calais, Paris, Noorrdwyk and Brussels. She has also served on many committees at national level; she has helped at the Commonwealth games in many capacities and is the current South East Region's secretary. In 2001 she was awarded an I O C Diploma as a volunteer in the development of sport. Not only is she a local living in Godalming, she continues to encourage and support beginners; she is at the Godalming Fencing Club every week, fences with the veterans and is a very supportive member. She always has time to help and guide the other fencers who are obviously less experienced than she is. She is on the committee of the new Godalming Fencing Club that started this May.

Her club are utterly delighted to see her have some recognition for her dedication to her sport. This is a truly remarkable lady and somebody very special in the World of Fencing.