As a sprightly twelve years old, watching a Boys’ Brigade Display with swords and armoury galore, Julie knew that she wanted to be a fencer. However others took a little more convincing; this time it was not a protective mother who stood in her way, but fencing coach Roy Harding (name and shame!) who told her she was ‘too small’ and that no jacket would fit her. He told her to come back when she was bigger.

But what Roy failed to see was the determined (and in the end ‘mildly’ irritating) persistence of this little girl and Julie persevered until he agreed to teach her. She was keen to apply her new skills, often practicing in the garden against her father and in what must be every little sister’s dream, she also made use of her brother for target practice…

From humble beginnings, Julie proved a natural, and in dramatic fashion won her first Channel Island Title winning Epee and attaining second place in both the foil and the sabre in 1991. But the best was still yet to come. In 1996, in what can only be described as a magical and spell bounding demonstration, she won an impressive 8 out of 9 trophies available in the Ladies competitions, including the Channel Islands Master at Arms and the local foil and epee league trophies. Given the opportunity, I’m sure she would have liked to have a good ‘swipe’ at the men too…

Her highly professional career aside, in 1999 she qualified as a Foil County Coach. Her interest in coaching also resulted in the beginning of the junior section of the club, the ‘Musketeers’, in 1998. Julie now also coaches at Elizabeth and Ladies’ College as well as the Musketeers and in the senior section of the club. She is also treasurer of the Guernsey Schools’ Fencing Association in which as part of the committee she helps to organise a variety of activities raising money for junior fencers.