Organised by British Fencing CharityAcross our community we have been welcoming Ukrainian fencers into our clubs and competitions. Having fled their country these fencers need financial support for equipment, training and competitions.
British Fencing has been working with the Ukrainian Fencing Federation to connect members of the Ukrainian fencing community fleeing the war in Ukraine with BF members willing to offer their homes under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
Many of those fencers have now arrived in the UK and are living with British fencers and their families. There are children as well as adults, mainly women, but they have all come with few possessions, and often with little or no money.
We know not everyone is in a position to open their homes to refugees but we can all open our hearts. And we can offer them practical and financial support.
We need your support to help them become active and valued members of our fencing family.
Some need kit, some need help with club fees or transport to training and competitions.
We are launching a fund, to be administered by the British Fencing Charity, to help our Ukrainian friends bring a little bit of normality back into their lives.
British Fencing Chief Executive, Georgina Usher, says,
Getting back into fencing is so important for the refugees we have supported to get to the UK. When they are on the piste, they can forget for a short while everything that they and their families have experienced and continue to experience as a result of the Russian invasion. I have seen the smile of a nine year old girl able to pick up a sabre and fence for the first time in weeks and know just how much this means to them. It is another very positive way we can metaphorically put our arms around them, show we stand with them and support them."
The chief executive of Sport England, Tim Hollingsworth has also encouraged everyone to help out in whatever way they can and stressed the important role sport can play,
We have all been shocked and saddened by the grave humanitarian emergency unfolding in Ukraine. Sport plays a huge role in bringing communities together. The grassroots sport community in this country has a tremendous record when it comes to supporting those in need locally and internationally. And we know that sport and physical activity is a welcome slice of normality for refugees, as well as good way to get involved in local communities."
Any amount you can pledge, however large or small, will support Ukrainian fencers who have sought refuge with our members.
Together, we #StandWithUkraine.
Slava Ukraini.
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