A WOMAN who was told she would never walk again set up a fencing club after the sport helped her to regain the use of her legs.

Jo Reynolds, from Westcliff, founded Shoebury Swords back in 2005 after finishing her own international fencing career.

But her biggest victory was overcoming an illness which left her hospitalised for three months when she was just 22-years-old.

“I was a fencer myself and I was very lucky to do that because I was told at the age of 22 that I would never be able to walk again,” said Jo.

“I was born with a very rare form of arthritis and I caught some sort of blood problem which led to my legs being unusable.

“I was in hospital for three months and they told me to do stop doing all the sport I was doing and focus on something that would strengthen my legs up, which is how I found fencing.

“I also found a coach who gave me a lot of lessons for free and I got very good very quickly luckily enough.

“I started to do competitions and represented Wales and Great Britain but after that and everything else fencing had given me I wanted to give something back and I started this club.”

Jo now holds regular training sessions at Shoeburyness High School for three separate age-groups.

Echo:

Joust – south Essex fencers show how it’s done at Shoebury Swords              

Those aged under-seven have their own training sessions and so do those aged between seven and 13.

After that fencers are encouraged to join in with the adults and enjoy what Jo believes is a great sport to participate in.

“It’s done in short bursts and you can get rid of a lot of your frustrations,” said Jo.

“People can’t see you so it doesn’t matter what age or weight you are. It’s also good, fun exercise and it’s using the brain as well.

“It’s a bit like chess on legs and it really does make you think.”

Jo is also eager to get more people involved in the sport.

And she believes fencing is now more open to a wider range of people.

“It used to be quite posh around 20 years ago but it’s not anymore,” said Jo.

“It’s fun and I think people enjoy it because every child wants to be Zorro or Captain Jack Sparrow.

“It’s probably also a sport most people would like to try but don’t think they will ever actually get round to it or that it’s too expensive.

“Some of the kit can be a bit pricey but it does last a long time.

“I’ve had my swords for 20 years and, although I’m probably biased, it is definitely a great sport to be a part of.”

FENCERS THRIVING AT HIGHLY-RENOWNED SHOEBURY SWORDS

SINCE its formation, Shoebury Swords has enjoyed a significant amount of success.

Seven of their fencers have qualified for the British Youth Championships, one has been picked for the England fencing squad while another was recently picked for the Eastern Region in the Cadet Winter Cup this year.

Most recent of all, Cameron Stillman finished third in the under-14 competition at the Eastern Region Championships.

He will now be heading off to the British Youth Championships next month and has urged other people to take up the sport.

“It’s really good fun, it’s physically challenging and it helps you stay or get fit,” said Cameron, 14.

“Most people will play football or rugby but I think it’s good to also try something a bit different.
“It’s great fun too because you get to play with swords, in a safe way.”

Cameron’s club mate Albert Chambers will also be heading off to the British Youth Championships, after finishing fifth in the same age-group.

Cameron’s older brother Patrick took 11th in the under-18 section and it was their battles in their garden which first led to them taking up fencing.

Echo:

Cameron Stilllman - finished third in the under-14 competition at the Eastern Region Championships

“My dad used to see my brother and I sword fighting with sticks in the garden and because he used to work here at the school himself he knew all about the extra-curricular activities that were on offer,” recalled Patrick.

“I came down to have a look and I’ve done it for seven years now. You get a real thrill from it. It’s good exercise and there’s real adrenaline and tension too. It’s competitive and you do get a buzz from it.”

Patrick’s sister Poppy also finished fifth in the under-16 section at the Eastern Region Championships and narrowly missed out on selection for the British Championships.

>For further details on Shoebury Swords visit www.shoeburynesshigh.co.uk and visit the community section.

Echo:

Echo reporter Chris Phillips (right) joins in with the fun 

MY VIEW: YOU DON'T NEED TO BE POSH TO GIVE IT A GO!

I WASN’T really too sure what to expect from fencing if I’m honest.

I was more into playing football and various other sports than sword fighting as a kid and I hadn’t ever really watched much of it either.

Rightly or wrongly, I had always assumed it was an activity for far posher people than me with double-barrelled surnames.

But I was pleasantly surprised by my visit to Shoebury Swords.

Now, I probably wasn’t much good and I could easily have been thrashed if my opponents had been fencing to their full capabilities but it was incredibly enjoyable and I’m not just saying that to be polite!

Once I had actually worked out how to put all of the equipment on, I found fencing to be an intriguing combination of mental and physical exercise.

The constant movement in reasonably heavy clothing made it quite a gruelling activity and it also required an incredible amount of thought to try and outwit your opponent.

I learnt a number of various moves amid one of the friendliest and funniest clubs I’ve had the pleasure of visiting, including how to block and how to counter attack.

I would certainly welcome the opportunity to fence again, especially as I now kind of know what to do!