Start Archery Week will take place 14-22 May 2022, a nationwide celebration of all things archery. In the tenth of our weekly club stories about last year's event, Archers of Raunds share their highlights.
We're showcasing previous Big Weekend/Start Archery Week events that have enjoyed fantastic success. If you're hoping to help your club organise Start Archery Week in May, and are not sure where to start, look out for these best practice case studies, right up until Start Archery Week begins.
Archers of Raunds (AoR) was formed on 8 July 1971 to provide local archers with a place to shoot and to help introduce new archers into the world of target archery. The club currently shoots at Manor School Sports College, in Raunds, Northamptonshire.
As well as introducing people to the great sport of archery, the club strives for all members to achieve their goals, whether that's shooting a few arrows with friends, or entering competitions and shooting for the county or GB.
AoR decided to use their 2021 Big Weekend event to launch their 50th anniversary year as a club, and handed out celebratory stickers to everyone who attended. The event was fantastically organised with an amazing team of volunteers all coming together to help make it a success. They went that extra mile to showcase their club, including a photo board highlighting club activities, a registration desk, innovative target challenges including rotating balloons, a refreshment tent and a tombola which resulted is £71.72 being raised.
Seventeen people attended the event, all of whom enquired about beginners' or taster sessions, and four people signed up for the beginners' course, held the following weekend. It was a real family-friendly day out for all those involved.
Cate Bromley, AoR, Chair, Secretary and Progression Officer, said: Â"Start Archery Week is a great way to showcase our sport and club to people who may be interested in learning more about archery, and an opportunity to gain new members. By holding the event alongside our normal shooting session, we were able to really show not only the friendly, social side to our club, but also the diversity of our members.”
To continue the celebration of the club's 50-year anniversary, AoR held another celebration day later in the year. This included outdoor and indoor sessions: a Frostbite competition and a Portsmouth round, where members were encouraged to bring along family members. A buffet and refreshments added to the festivities, and commemorative coins were given to all members.
Cate Bromley, her son Archie, mum Angela, dad Robin, and nanny Joyce are all inspirational volunteers for AoR. They were key in the delivery of the club's 2021 Big Weekend event. You can read why they volunteer here.
Nikki Parkin was also a key volunteer at the event. See what she says about how archery helps her take control of her disability here.
Please visit our dedicated Start Archery Week webpage for a host of resources, advice and to find out how to enter a range of exciting competitions with fantastic prizes!
