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About jim |
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Life is for Enjoyment and Fun |
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Welcome to my World
From an early age I was interested in mechanical things, I took my father’s bicycle apart and could not put it together afterwards. My grandfather had a grandfather clock which took my eye one day. I took it apart, and of course could not put it together. I was also interested in motor bikes for a few years as with most young boys, as I got older this changed to cars. Fishing and shooting for game on Sundays fitted well in my teen years.
After leaving school I serve an apprenticeship in Mechanical Engineering, going to college to gain the city & guilds qualifications required to become a Mechanical Engineer.
Finishing my apprenticeship I enlisted in the Armed Forces (Army) for 22 years, which I spent in many parts of the world learning new skills.
I first learnt the art of fencing in 1966; I went on a three week residential course in the school of PT in York. I followed that with a two week Basic Trampoline course, then a two week Gymnastic course. I continued with Fencing for the next three |
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years, in that time I entered numerous competitions in all three weapons.
For sometime I enjoyed gymnastics, trampoline, running, orienteering canoeing and fencing. Then I took part in ski-ing, ski-touring, rock climbing, abseiling, snow & ice climbing, mountain touring & climbing, arctic survival and arctic warfare. I spent some of my spare time relaxing and sewing tapestries, making wall rugs and turning my hand to macramé.
Living in Europe I trained and fenced in many of the European countries, fencing for two German clubs, entering competitions in Denmark, Holland, Belgium, Germany and France.
I became a professional Mountaineer, chief ski instructor, mountain leader, arctic warfare instructor, survival instructor all in an arctic environment in the Alps. The summers were spent taking expeditions through the mountains of Norway and the Alps, mountain climbing, snow & Ice climbing, ski touring on the glaciers, mountain touring. I organise and lead ski groups and expeditions in the Alps.
In 1988 I returned to the United Kingdom and once again took up fencing, I joined the British Academy of Fencing and became a professional fencing coach. I am now a senior coach educator and examiner. I am a Professor and also a member of British Fencing Association, Academie d'Armes Internationale and Sports Coach UK.
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I am a registered trainer and assessor for the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme; I still keep in touch with my mountain skills by making frequent visits back to the Alps where I lived for so many years. In the UK I have my own computer company, I design and build computers to individual specifications, for schools, small businesses and private individuals.
In the year 2000 I acquired a pedigree dog (American Cocker Spaniel), in 2001 I acquired another American Cocker (a bitch) and decided to enter the realms of showing as a further interest. I joined a local dog club for show training, I now fine time to travel the UK attending dog shows with my bitch (Whisper), who has now qualified for Crufts 2003 in two classes and in 2004.
I still enjoy an active life teaching fencing to all levels of ability, ski-ing with friends and making new ones on the slopes. |
