Last week’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show saw fencing combined with gardening in an unusual way that did not involve a white picket or trellis…

Beazley partnered with Hillier Nurseries to give their annual Chelsea exhibit a fencing theme, which included sculptures of fencers, long, spiky sword-like plants, and daily live fencing displays by GB team members.

In this Olympic celebration year, the fencing demonstrations proved popular with photographers, journalists and visitors at the Show, and on Monday 21^st May a private display by Alex O’Connell and James Honeybone was enjoyed by a very special guest, Her Majesty The Queen, Patron of British Fencing.

The Queen smiled and observed the display and then spoke to O’Connell and Honeybone, asking about training and whether fencing was hard work and hot inside the mask.

O’Connell said: “She also spoke about the Flower Show and said she had heard that fencing was up and coming.

“She also said for the girls it was quite a ladylike sport and made a little fencing gesture with her hand.”

O’Connell and Honeybone also took part in photo shoot, the images from which have been widely used on national news websites.

On Wednesday 23^rd May, Olympic qualified fencers Richard Kruse and Natalia Sheppard came down to the Show and were interviewed by the Daily Telegraph and Sport magazine, as well as having some stylish photos taken.

The association with Chelsea Flower Show was a huge success for both Beazley and British Fencing, and a large new audience has engaged positively with the sport.

A big thank you from Beazley to the following athletes who showcased fencing; Alex Crutchett, Anthony Crutchett, Josh Spoor, Alex O’Connell, James Honeybone, Lizzie Highton, Tom Bennett, Katie Dolan, Richard Kruse, Natalia Sheppard, Alek Makucewicz and Amy Hyman.

If you’d like to see more images of the fencers at Chelsea, then please visit the slideshow section on www.beazleybritishfencing.com.