Anna attends the Trust’s Camp Inspire, which runs during school holidays and is primarily for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
During Anna’s time at Camp, she picked up fencing after a session put on by the Trust’s Nigel Leaversley. Anna’s mum, Kate, said: “I think it was the second year when Nigel came to do a one-off visit in a day session.
“Anna came out shrieking, ‘Mummy! I’ve signed myself up for fencing.’ I said, ‘I beg your pardon.’ That’s how she signed herself up, and we have never looked back since.
Nigel added: “The first time I met Anna, she was running about, charging from activity to activity, not really knowing what to do, and then she found fencing and kept coming back.”
Speaking on Anna’s progression in the sport, Kate explained: “Fencing is very inclusive. It is so inclusive for everybody. It doesn’t matter what walk of life you come from.
“We started off going to the Wingerworth Fencing Club on a Friday night, then we progressed to having a one-to-one lesson on a Tuesday. On top of this, Anna has done some competitions.
Anna won a silver medal in her first competition, followed by gold and bronze medals in her second and third competitions. Anna has competed in cities such as London, Liverpool and Sheffield.
Nigel commented on Anna’s progress, adding: “It’s been absolutely great to see Anna go from somebody with very little confidence to competing at a national level in the national finals. She finished halfway up the field of the under 12s when she was still only ten, which was pretty amazing.
“It’s absolutely brilliant; it’s why I coach. I think it’s every coach’s dream to see somebody progress just like Anna has. It doesn’t get better than that. It’s not all about winning medals, but seeing the progress from someone who knows nothing about fencing within a couple of years to compete at a national level is great.”
Focusing on how Camp Inspire has helped both Kate and Anna, Kate said: “Camp Inspire for us has been life-changing, first and foremost, because I’m a single parent and we don’t have any other family.
“I have Anna on my own all the time, and school holidays are very lonely. When we go to Camp Inspire, we see other mums, other families, other carers, which is vital.
“They play football, Debbie [Dance] does crafts and offers something different every single day, and so many other activities.
“There are lots of food choices, and they cook everything on-site, but then they’ll do breakfast bags in the morning. Not every child will eat first thing when you get them up. So, to know that they will have something, so it’s a lifeline, and I cannot tell you without Camp Inspire and the Trust.”
Nigel also commented on the activities that are on offer at Camp Inspire, adding: “Fencing is not the only unique activity; we just happen to have struck gold with Anna, who’s progressed onto competitions.
“There are so many different activities; it doesn’t matter what you like or don’t like, there’s going to be something new to try, and you could have the same success in a different activity completely.”
Email craigdawson@cfcct.org.uk for more information about Camp Inspire.
