When I consider where I was last year, mentally, emotionally and how very close I was to giving up everything from my sport to living it’s amazing to me as I sit here reviewing the first 12 months of Integr8Archery and what I have achieved.
Years of working hard for my sport and the belief in what can be done as long as I choose the right people for each event to get the very best I can. No longer settling and risking a poor set up, rather saying no than getting it wrong. That’s huge in itself being brave enough not to risk my reputation by saying no, it’s a pleasure to not have to some times wince or apologise because I sent the wrong person. One of the most beautiful things I have heard and how often I have heard it – thank you for getting this/these people to deliver for us! The core values of a service user matched with a service provider – makes the event so much smoother and I am blessed that this means the coach to mentor roles work so much more naturally by getting it right first time.
A long week of squeezing in meetings to review and plan, setting and adjusting aims and targets for each group. Closing some as the self sustaining fledge with the knowledge that they can send a message when they need to. It’s not sad as we step back, rather a sense of pride that we have given them the skills to flourish. Reassurance to a couple that had expected to be moved on by now but haven’t – we can still achieve it.
I was brave enough to open my project book from spring 2022, wow – how many of those plans have I achieved! Those I haven’t- why? I am ok with the reasonings – not my losses actually 🤷♀️ and I don’t regret that I made plans that someone other than me threw away.
Luckily the relationships I had built to create those opportunities are not lost, in some cases from friendships many, many years old – so I am grateful that open and frank dialogue has allowed some things to be closed and others to remain future possibilities if I am ever brave enough to take giant leaps. Who knows maybe my passport will see me become a frequent flyer 🫣😉
One of the greatest privileges was definitely being allowed to sit at the table and help source new recipient’s for the large donations for the fund, I stood by my belief that it didn’t feel right to accept any of that for Integr8Archery and whilst it would definitely have made my projects fly, I am thrilled to hear from people who have benefited – what may be a loss to grassroots archery has definitely been a gain for others.
So the coming week or 2 will see more meetings take place around the day job and I am grateful that my hoodies can hide a multitude of things 😂😂 as I chase around from A to B to C and so on.
I am also immensely proud of 3 young people who I have been supporting for significant periods of time in my role as safeguarding officer, wellbeing is such an important part of this and to be trusted to be part of a person’s team/network of support is humbling but anyone who knows me also knows how very seriously I take this, safeguarding is one of the most important responsibilities we all have.
So as we swiftly approach 1 year!! Thank you and see you soon ❤️🏹
