Every year at the AGM, LHFC’s members elect its Chair, Secretary and Treasurer to form its management committee. They are tasked with all the day to day running of the club, as well as doing their best to enact the decisions of the AGM.
To help, they are empowered to co-opt other members onto the committee, fulfilling various roles as needed. In addition, all instructors are ex-officio committee members, unless they choose not to be.
Elected Committee Members
Chairs: Kerri McArthur / Patrick Lawton
(She/Her) / (He/Him)
The Chair is our public face and responsible for upholding the ethos and values of the club. They act as facilitator and moderator in committee discussions and hold the casting vote in a deadlock. They will usually take the lead in discussions with other clubs, as well as internal matters.
Kerri joined LHFC in 2018 and since joining the Committee in 2019, Kerri has worked to grow the club and work to achieve the club’s goals of providing a safe and inclusive space for HEMA in London.
Patrick has been fencing with LHFC since 2018, and has been a member of the committee since 2021, He fences primarily Fiore’s Longsword, and with experience across a variety of disciplines. Patrick has joined the committee with the aim to enhance the organizational ability and reputation of the club, through events, competitive HEMA and outreach to other clubs and organizations.
Previous Chairs: Rob Clampitt (2016-17), Jamie MacIver (2017-20), James Tamplin (2020-23).
Secretary: Lian Cooper
(She/Her)
The Secretary is responsible for our record keeping and organisation. They arrange committee meetings, take minutes recording decisions and ensure that committee members are meeting their responsibilities. They are also responsible for ensuring our compliance with charity law and regulations.
Lian has been studying Rapier for around 8 years and is one of the founders of LHFC.
Having previously served as secretary for 3 years she’s excited to take the reigns again for this exciting year as we realise our vision of getting our own venue.
Diversity and inclusion has always been top priority and Lian led the HEMAists marching in London Pride and is keen to do more LGBTQ+ events in the future.
Previous Secretaries: Dan Weir (2016-17), Lian Cooper (2017-20), Kerri McArthur (2020-23)
Treasurer: Dan Powell
(He/Him)
The Treasurer is responsible for our money and finances. They collect our income, pay our bills, record our transactions and render our accounts. They also advise the committee on how much budget is available and what steps should be taken to ensure the club is always on a sustainable footing.
Dan became our Treasurer in 2019 after unwisely confessing to being a professional accountant (CIMA). Since taking up office he has revolutionised our accounting practices and overseen the introduction of our online booking system.
Previous Treasurers: Arno Jacobs (2016-17), Tom Daplyn (2017-18), Dan Weir (2017-19).
2023-24 Co-opted Committee Members
Alyx Austin (Diversity and Inclusion), James Tamplin (Policy), Amber Chester (Fundraising and Comms), Perth Ophaswongse (Marketing), Tony Lamb (IT).