Children got straight to the point of a new sport as they were given a lesson in the art of fencing.

Around 60 Year Six pupils at Brougham Primary School were taught the basics of the discipline before going head to head in a fun tournament.

The lessons were delivered by unemployed young people who are taking part in The Prince’s Trust’s Billingham Team programme run by Stockton Riverside College. The students had only got to grips with the sport themselves days earlier after undergoing a masterclass with North East Fencing’s Street Swords.

“It has been good fun,” said Team member Kirsten Raybould, 19, of Norton. “I had never tried fencing before and now we have experience teaching children what we have learned.”

Adam Smith, 18, of Billingham, added: “We were taught how to put the safety equipment on, moves such as the attack, the en garde and also the footwork. We were then able to teach the basics to the children.”

The Prince’s Trust Team programme is a free 12-week personal development course for unemployed young people aged 16 to 25. By taking part in a variety of tasks and challenges the aim is to help the young people to build the confidence and skills they need to help them move on to education, training or employment.

Prince’s Trust Team leader Martin Copley said: “The fencing task is a great way to help the young people build their confidence. Not only are they learning something completely new but they are then given the responsibility of teaching those skills to others.”

North East Fencing’s Regional Development Officer, Beth Davidson, said: “The students might feel nervous at first because chances are fencing is a sport they have no experience of, but I know that they will achieve something by the end of it. Conquering those fears helps to build their confidence generally.”

As for the school children, Beth said, they get to learn something new and have some fun along the way.

For more details about Stockton Riverside College’s Prince’s Trust Team courses visit www.stockton.ac.uk/princes-trust/ or call 01642 865 566.

---