BF recently delivered a national two-day refresher training event for instructors at PGL, part of our licensed partner network. PGL is currently the largest provider of introductory fencing experiences in the UK.
On 27th-28th November 2024, BF staff and coaches delivered a two-day refresher training event for colleagues at PGL. The event took place at PGL’s Liddington site as part of BF’s annual re-licensing process for PGL. The training allows PGL staff to become licensed coach developers, who can then deliver BF’s introductory coaching training to their activity centres across the UK.
The partnership began in 2016 and has grown each year. Over 3,000 PGL fencing instructors have been trained since 2018, and almost 100,000 people were introduced to fencing in 2024 alone. These figures make PGL the largest provider of introductory fencing experiences in the UK, helping to introduce the world of fencing to more people at their holiday camps and centres.
The training was delivered by BF’s Fencing Development Team, introduced in October last year in order to support the growth of fencing across the country. The team is responsible for training and upskilling participants with different workforce roles in a variety of settings, from schools and activity centres to clubs.
Over the two days, the Fencing Development Team provided a tailored learning experience to PGL instructors in order to develop their fencing coaching skills. This included both the practical elements of coaching and an orientation of our education-based We Are Forging Futures brand, which introduces fencing-based activities to schools and activity centres through a personal development lens.
We discussed accessibility and gave a demonstration of our newly-launched SwordSeat™, a wooden seated fencing frame that can either be bought or assembled. The SwordSeat is designed to significantly reduce the cost of wheelchair fencing in order to make it accessible to a wider range of people. To learn more about the SwordSeat, visit this page: SwordSeat™
Jason Collins, NGB Course Director at PGL, attended both days of the event. He said:
“Our annual event with BF is always engaging and a great success. The PGL team always comes away with new ideas and a refreshed enthusiasm to deliver even more great first time experiences.”
Marjorie Kuhne, BF Digital & Commercial Product Manager, said:
“What the partnership with PGL has achieved in almost a decade, reaching hundreds of thousands of participants, reveals the extent of the demand for fencing activities. The consistency of our work together has consolidated their fencing offer as a robust and popular product, all while helping to make the sport more accessible.”
We want to make physical activity as diverse and inclusive as possible through the world of fencing. If this goal resonates with you, we want to hear from your organisation. Contact Harry Brown, BF Head of Licensing, to see how you can get involved in our unique and exciting sport. Book a call here.
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