As fencing takes its seasonal break, for GB's Paralympian Gemma Collis in a qualifying year the focus is even higher on getting all those important results on the world stage! Since all funding was cut for the GB team Gemma who lives and trains in Durham with Laszlo Jakab, she has to fund all of her training and competition season!

This situation has had a big reaction with local fencing parents who have been motivated to raise funds for Gemma with refreshment stands, chocolate tombolas and more recently a raffle of a handmade quilt made by Carole Seheult.

A total of £1526 was raised for Gemma that enabled her to travel to Hong Kong World Cup achieving 9th. This now takes her to 4th in the world rankings and in a selectable position for Rio Paralmpics!

For anybody interested in supporting Gemma, go to her fundraising site http://www.gofundme.com/GemmasRoadToRio