Novice winners Stourport 1984

Born and raised in central England ,UK and the eldest of four siblings life began as an only child. In the late 1950’s women were beginning to go out in the workplace to prove their worth, my Mother being no exception, she chose to work partime in the evenings when my Dad could take care of me, she didn’t want just anyone looking after her only child back then, and how grateful I was looking back. My Dad was a keen sportsman like his own father who played football for Aston Villa back in the 1930’s & Cricket at Edgbaston Cricket ground. My Dad loved many sports Cricket, Archery, Fencing, Rowing, Swimming, Chess to name just a few but at the tender age of five I was invited to one of his fencing classes, geez it was so good when, while Dad was taking a lesson from his fencing master some of his team mates made a small wooden sword for me, I could run around stabbing & annoying everyone , the start of a fencing career which spanned until I was nearly forty. It kept me fit , healthy and generally out of trouble through my teenage years. So part of this blog is dedicated to my dearly departed Mum and Dad who did so much for me albeit unwittingly all those years ago.