Start Archery Week will take place 14-22 May 2022, a nationwide celebration of all things archery. In the eighth of our weekly club stories about last year's event, Hingham Bowmen share their highlights.
Over the next few weeks, we're highlighting 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.
Hingham Bowmen in Norfolk will take their Start Archery Week event to Hautbois Activity Centre's ‘Fun Day', near Coltishall, as they have done twice before. Club coach, Duffy Doyle, who works as an occasional archery instructor at the activity centre, asked Hautbois if they'd be interested in hosting Start Archery Week as part of their Fun Day, and the rest is history.
Volunteers have been recruited to help in person and via the club's Facebook page, with a very good response. Perhaps the lure of free burgers, hotdogs, and unlimited tea, coffee and soft drinks helps!
The archery range at Hautbois is a permanent structure, so the club volunteers have very little to do on arrival, other than to meet other instructors who are running other activities. There's plenty going on: wall climbing, abseiling, rafting, kayaking, assault course, tree climbing and aerial runway.
The day is always extremely busy and there is always a queue for the archery. The centre has a standard 10-yard archery range shooting on large faces, and also Arrows archery sets available for the younger children. They even organise an Arrows archery clout shoot which visitors find really good fun. With Covid still about, the volunteers will make sure that sanitiser is available, and that all equipment is sanitised.
The club feels running this event has provided a really positive introduction to the sport for all participants. It also has been a great opportunity for club members to work together outside the club, and to see another side of our wonderful sport.
One year a teenage girl asked Duffy whether archery is a hobby or a sport. He replied, Â"What do you think?” and she said, Â"Well, if it's a sport, how can it be so much fun? I just scored three golds!” She left with a smile on her face from ear to ear.
Duffy's advice to other clubs? Â"If any club, for whatever reason cannot organise Start Archery Week event at their usual venue, it is worth asking at a local activity centre.”
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!
