When carrying your sword to and from the club’s training sessions and events, of course you need to consider the practical considerations, but you must also consider the legal requirements.
There are no laws about how you should carry things like masks, gloves, or jackets, so you can carry these however you would like.
However, there are laws about carrying training swords, even those made from plastic:
- your training sword must be carried in a bag or case of some description;
- it must not be carried openly, or be plainly visible;
- if you travel by car, then your training sword must not remain in the boot of your car, it must be removed from the car and taken into your home after each and every trip;
- it must remain at home until you bring it to a training session or event;
- you should never brandish it, use it offensively, or even refer to it (if at all possible) during your travel.
Club members with an up to date annual membership may make use of a legal defence: if you have a good reason (i.e. attending a training session with the club) for carrying an item that would otherwise be illegal to carry (i.e. your training sword, regardless of whether it is blunt or even plastic), and you are carrying it in a reasonable fashion (i.e. in a sealed bag or case), and you are a member of a club with a public liability policy (which you are IF you have an up to date membership), then you may make the legal defence and it is likely that a prosecutor will agree that it is not worth taking the case to court.
However, the legal defence becomes void if you are an idiot about how you are carrying the training sword. If you carry it openly, in plain sight, then the legal defence is no longer an option. Similarly, if you make reference to it in a threatening or offensive fashion, it becomes an offensive weapon, and the legal defence no longer applies.
Carrying your sword is pretty straightforward, and if you are sensible about it, there will be no legal problems. Be sensible, carry it in a sealed bag, and keep your annual membership up to date.
Arrange your annual membership through our website to receive the insurance and other benefits.
If learning to fence with the longsword appeals to you, then give it a go!
Read about what to expect for your first session.
Then book your attendance, and come along!