Current Policy
Funding :
At present the policy is to fund activities of a group benefit -
Our funds will be used for activities usually unfunded by other bodies.
Unless there are exceptional reasons funding is not currently available for individuals.
Aims and Trustees.....
Aims :
The Epée Club established the Epée Club Charitable Fund (ECC) as a CIO - Charity Registration Number 1159346 - in March 2015.
The charitable purpose is :
"the promotion of community participation in healthy recreation by the provision of financial assistance to enable members of the public to participate in the sport of épée fencing at all levels."
There are three Trustees appointed by the Epée Club all of whom are long standing members of the épée community:
• Steven Bateman - Epée Club Committee Member.
• Rob Brooks – retired technical Instructor - Epée Club Communications Officer.
• Lawrence Burr OBE: Vice President of the Epée Club, retired Army Officer.
Background History..
The Epée Club since its foundation in 1900 has been at the forefront of promoting the use and enjoyment of épée. In the early years running national and international competitions before handing over to the Amateur Fencing Association which became the BFA. An Epée club member developed the first electric "box".
The Epée Club funded various fencers over a long period - most recently Jon Willis in the run up to the 2012 Olympics when official funding was scarce and earlier Jenny McGeevor and Tom Cadman. In 2013 the Club decided to set up a separate charitable fund to attract donors from both members but more importantly outside sponsors who wanted to show their support for épée exclusively. In 2015 the Charity was incorporated as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation supervised by the Charity Commission. Thanks to generous donors the finances are now sound but each year donations are needed so a long term strategy can be followed.
In 2016 when Jon Willis was involved with the BFA in épée activities the British Epée Development Committee was formed to develop a strategy. This group still meets to try to address the needs of épée on an ad hoc basis with those currently involved to see where funds can be best spent where the need is not being met by Sport England / UK Sport or other funding bodies.