Belvoir Archers have achieved the archeryGB ontarget:Community Specialism certification.  So far, only 15 clubs across the country have achieved this award.

What have we done to achieve this?

We have demonstrated that we openly advertise opportunities to participate in archery.  Over the last year, the coaching team have introduced 210 people to archery, 48 of which have completed a 6 week beginners course.  23 of these have joined our club, and a number have gone on to join other clubs closer to their homes – Wilford Bowmen, Burton Joyce and Lincoln Archers.

We actively welcome people to come and shoot on club nights, we get quite a number of guests from other clubs come and join us both outdoors at the field and indoors at our new venue at Cotgrave.

During the summer, we provide a have-a-go session at least once a month for people to come along and try archery.

We provide 3 club shooting sessions during summer and one during winter on the field.  We also have a good group of archers who shoot at other times out of the normal club days – you will often see Dennis, Nigel, Barbara, Alan and Claire shooting away in the afternoons when the weather permits.

With the assistance of Sports England, we now have an indoor facility with 8 foam indoor bosses and a new net at Cotgrave Leisure Centre which allows us to shoot on Sunday evenings.  This not only allows us to practice indoors, but allows us to continue training archers – the junior section have had alot of assistance so far, and we are about to run an indoor beginners course in February and March 2013.

Plans are a foot to introduce some new shooting programs to the club in 2013.  Alan is working on the 252 scheme – an award scheme that will allow you to test yourself at different distances – more details to follow from Alan soon.  We will also be introducing the FITA Feather and FITA Arrows award scheme in the new year.

In 2013, we are looking at a number of have-a-go events in the local area, including Langar & Barnsone Village weekend in the summer, and hopefully back at the Hose Village fete.