It is incredibly rare that I ask for anything for myself, particularly in regards to my health – this, above, I tried to do at the weekend!
It’s something that my counsellor and my friends have been trying to get me to work on for a long time. The last few months I have been trying, it’s new to me and a work in progress. Whilst volunteering at the Grand Prix it was something that was discussed with me at length and I worked hard on it, the Wednesday and Thursday actually making decisions to put me first, guess what? The world continued to turn and my family of blue and green shirts not only accepted and welcomed my decisions but encouraged them! I may have taken all of us by surprise! 😱😂
Fast forward to 15th April, I posted my blog, and I asked for 36ish hours for me, I needed to deal with lots of things and they were affecting my mental health, I wanted to get everything in order. Projects, communications, lots of things. Despite my request still people contacted me with questions, queries, none of these could wait that 36 hours, I pointed out to each of those people that I wanted to be left until Sunday evening. Did it stop them! No! So I made some decisions and now people are disappointed 🤷♀️ you pushed me, you didn’t let me have that short time I was brave enough to ask for. Apparently for some I didn’t answer questions they didn’t ask 🤷♀️ why in this sport is it so often expected that we can mind read?
What I am especially curious of is, if I asked for the weekend because I had a migraine, a stomach bug, an injury, would I have been granted that 36 hours? Is it just mental health that doesn’t get respected? Have a think, you don’t have to answer me, but please do be honest with yourself!
What it did do was confirm work that I have been doing and several events and projects I am working on are most definitely needed as I had already believed.
So now we have people disappointed because I cancelled things, and angry people who have now had things cancelled who were not actually the people pushing me and being disrespectful of my request! So the people who pushed are ok, and I will deal with yet more annoyed folks 🤔
Integr8Archery CIC is mine, a one man band, no one else makes the decisions and no one else chooses what I do, and no one else steps in when I am overwhelmed. I am working on my projects, work that was always mine, my goals, my aims and new ideas. Not for anyone else, for me. There are also a number of other things I have that I may restart, they are mine too. Don’t make the mistake that because people have collaborated in the past dictates what I am doing now, because that would also be disrespectful.
However, what did go well, that I knew would give me the boost when I was thinking of quitting, was my visit to DISC to deliver soft archery, they are such a welcoming and enthusiastic group and a pleasure to spend time with.
Followed by my trip just over the road to shoot with Towcester Archers, some projects discussed and ideas bounced and arrows flung. Last year it was incredibly important to me to create safe spaces for my mind, where, when I am overwhelmed, anxious and scared, I can go to with my bow.
So thank you and much love to Archers of Raunds, Long Buckby archery club, Towcester Archers, Banbury Cross, Kestrels and Bowmen of Glen. By far the most important thing is the gift they give me of space where I am mentally safe to pick up my bow.
When I started shooting in 2018 I spent hours on the range, practise and competing. From 2018 to 2021 I shot between 800 – 1000 arrows a week. Last year this dropped dramatically – we know why. So I started planning my 2023 outdoor season and how to get that motivation back, perfectly timed as Archery GB advertised for the #greatarrowcount project. I received notification of my involvement in the project which was to start on 1st April. Those first 10 days were impacted by my being at the European Grand Prix but my first week total sees me having shot 570 arrows, not where I want to be but getting back on track for sure.
If you know me, the projects or just keep looking here for what’s happening you will know that everything I have done for the last 4 years in regards to long term projects is about them becoming sustainable for each group that I work with. The base of this plan is that they have people trained and take over the running of the group and coaches who work with them on behalf of Integr8Archery to mentor them.
Last summer I was approached by Northamptonshire Carers to discuss plans for the DISC group which meets every other week and provides access to their users to a variety of sports. Some years previously they had archery in their cycle but it had stopped.
Upon visiting we found a treasure of kit, they were aware that they had soft kit for arrows Archery but we found so much more, meaning that with just some support and training they could easily be up and running for the full range that our sport can offer.
This week we have finally gotten everything in place and 19th March will see the first of their monthly archery sessions take place! This is so exciting. It is here I must say a number of thank you’s – The Worshipful Company of Fletchers who have generously provided funding for two volunteers to undertake instructor training next month, Long Buckby Archery Club for the donation of the kit for pointy archery, when we found it, it was all very carefully labelled and the club have donated this to the group for their ongoing use. Also to Nick and Jackie from Towcester Archery Club for joining the group of coaches who work with Integr8Archery to go out there into the community and provide access to our sport and will be giving their time to support the DISC group.
Wednesday saw another great multi sport meeting hosted by Graeme at Northamptonshire Sport, always great to look at how we can help each other and achieve our shared aims, more to come about new things I will be doing from that meeting later.
Couple of meetings around our start archery event and some reviewing plans for schools already working with us.
Also design visuals for the medals we will be using for the competitions that we are planning and as Duncan and I have just about sorted our progression scheme, the badges have been designed for this along with a new flight workshop badge after the previous supplier let me down.
Thank you so very much to Duncan for all of the work he has put in on the Integr8Archery progression scheme, this scheme will see individuals work to the level that will then allow them to partake in the AGB progression scheme and something that I have been trying to arrange for over 2 years but have run into difficulties along the way, so thank you Duncan for always listening to my thoughts, also for creating the certificates and now designing the membership card for the Integr8Archery school club members.
I never take for granted any of the work that anyone does with me, wether voluntary or if they are paid by one of the groups.
I wanted the clean simplicity – these will look amazing in person with the shine of the metal.As soon as I get these I will hand out the ones already earned, including the long awaited flight workshop participants
So I am technically unemployed for a few days as I await the new job to be sorted, I could sit and relax but we all know that ends badly, we are after all approaching the 3rd anniversary of impaling myself on a tree for those who forget I don’t just sit and chill! 😱🫣
So what have I done:
Sensory football webchat and discussions around conversation and instructions for complex needs with SENSE.
meeting with AGB.
catch up and planning with DISC for Northamptonshire Carers and everything back on track, including two new coaches on board with Integr8Archery to support our community groups and aims for sustainable archery – exciting on several points.
First face to face Integr8Archery club committee as both August and October were online.
on top of this there have been 5 other meetings around existing projects, coaches and new instructors and coaches.
meeting with sport4fitness to finalise plans for their CIC and the groups that we will introduce archery to, including re-starting the out of school educated groups and the Send4dads group.
I have had lots of fun this weekend, shooting three times 😱😂🫣 maybe I will soon be back to my 800 – 1000 arrows a week after all! 4 ranges, countless friends, county squad mates – essentially my archery family. Smiles, hugs, chatting, a couple of tearful moments but mostly just back in my safe places with people who I am safe to be around, never to be underestimated and very definitely proof that the fight to stay with my sport was worth it. Days where I most definitely thought I was beaten since November 21 but this week was proof it’s worth fighting for.
I am putting in an order to lionhart in the next week or so and for anyone who wants one I only have 5 Integr8Archery big bobble hats left from the initial production batch. Let me know if you want anything.
I shall be out and about this next week and hope to catch up with more people whilst getting ready to announce some events that we will be hosting, so keep your eyes open. Stay safe ❤️🏹
Integr8Archery CIC and Sport4fitness CIC – collaboration for the community
So many meetings in the last week! In person, online and by phone. Amazing things coming together though so definitely worth it all and the juggling act to fit it all in.
A year after first discussing accessibility to sport for the local Muslim community with Northamptonshire Sport, we have finally got dates in the calendar for the first sessions, so pleased we have made the efforts to keep communication open and cannot wait to see what we all achieve together – collaboration is amazing and makes us stronger by working together.
The first meeting of the Children’s Coaching Collaborative was fantastic, so many people across multiple sports coming together for the same aims – that “children first” is the important element of what we do when working with juniors and must remain the focus of everything we do. The Voice, Choice, Journey campaign is going to be a great launch platform and if you haven’t already taken a look at the collaborative I would very much recommend you join up and get involved.
This led me really quite well into some amazing discussions at the regions/home nations/Archery GB 2 day get together with some great topics and ways we can move things forward around a number of things, especially Safeguarding which is my most important focus as many of you know, and again I am looking forward to the future meetings to see what we can all accomplish by working together across all of the topics.
We are Undefeatable was a great conversation across multiple sports and platforms that encourage activity and again a new campaign launching soon that I will be pleased to support.
Incredibly proud of some of the friends of Integr8Archery this week with news of many things from achievements to
pushing their own boundaries but I know most are making their own announcements so I will not be stealing their thunder – but I think I have messaged or spoken to most 🥳👏🏻 well done to you all.
Thanks to a few days between changing day jobs I have managed to book a heap of things in the next few days too so as I slide towards 9 months I am so proud of everything that is coming together.
See you all soon, and yes I actually have plans to shoot my own bow this week 😱😉❤️🏹 and the first in person get together for the Integr8Archery Club committee who have been getting on great virtually so hopefully we will do face to face 🙃
I picked up a bow in the spring of 2018, I had been around ranges for a while since the rest of the house was shooting and had been for a while. I loved the sound of the arrows hitting the boss, still find it soothing and I am happy to sit and read a book listening to that noise.
I had made friends, supported people, joined committees and thought maybe I should give it a whirl. Talked about it with lots of people, I don’t make rash decisions 😂🫣 I have a number of issues that I knew would likely make my shooting time short, but with some effort I might get 2-3 years. So off I went in the winter of 2017 and got a compound bow ready for after I had completed my planned beginners course early 2018. The issues with my back and shoulder pretty much mean compound is the only suitable bow style.
So there we have the first “issue” a group of established archers who protested – a brand new, novice archer with a compound bow, nope cannot be allowed, so dangerous and time limits were suggested from 12 to 24 months that I should have to shoot an alternative bow style, preferably recurve, to prove I was safe before being allowed on a range with a compound bow!!
I was lucky, very lucky, to have a group of archers and committee members support me and once I completed my beginners course, the offer of a coach – brave enough to stand beside the dangerous prospect of a beginner with a compound bow and so began my journey to shoot, not know what was coming!
My coach was starting his (then named) level 2 coaching course and the candidates needed a “Guinea pig” (my term – don’t be offended) to work with and take to their assessment. So we sat with the paperwork where I had to explain the many issues with my body that were going to be an issue with the goals I had set myself. Or rather he sat, I stood as I genuinely expected at some point during the conversation he would tell me it was a non starter and I would be better selling my bow and quitting. Nope, he never flinched and just said, right, let’s learn together!
Without a doubt having someone who never flinches and stands beside you in support is one of the greatest gifts anyone can have.
We worked and I worked hard! My aim was to get to the summer and the club celebration shoot an informal, relaxed environment with a competition and cake! My family however were much more confident in me and advised me that my first competition was booked for April! (I do not advocate booking people on to competition without their permission, my family know me though).
By the end of that first outdoor season I had shot 23 competitions and was shooting for the county – the most amazing and supportive group of archers led by, in my opinion, the best county captain there is. I had fallen in love with a 1440 and enjoyed a Hereford – but these long rounds would see me stand all day, couldn’t allow myself to sit and relax because once I do that the pain hits massively, my relationship with pain, is like everyone’s – personal and individual, but I do not take painkillers because I have watched someone very close to me struggle for many years with addiction to pain medication, I know that there will be a lot of opinion and I am not saying my way is by any means correct, but it’s my way.
I am so very grateful to those who have always supported me, laughed with me on the range whilst watching me struggle with the pain and sat with me and held my hand at the end of the day when, after raffles and medals and everything else is over, I lay on the floor and let my body relax and allow the pain in, and as my muscles spasm and seize up and I cannot move they chat with me and sometimes cry with me.
My coach suggested maybe we look at sitting to shoot, no! No – I saw this as giving in, I don’t give in to my pain, I had never done so. I was 43 and had struggled forever, for me sitting was giving in. So on we went. I had set myself a goal at the beginning of the season – a third class, I came away with a second class – happy? No! I had so many scores that were just a handful of points from a first class! So I saw failure – I had surpassed my goal but felt that I had let myself down! Trust me I know what my counsellor has said about this – my mind is and will likely always be my biggest issue.
Indoor season saw me start county coaching and a change of coach, supported back at club by my first coach. Looking at the issues that impact me both physically and mentally. I never shot less than double sessions indoors but often did the triple, I felt that I needed to keep my body capable of that consistency and volume ready to go back outdoors, a double is a few less so in my mind the triple – a few extra seemed obvious and I was having fun. I hate indoors, makes me feel trapped but I fell in love with the vegas and set myself the goal that in 2025 I will go to Vegas and shoot a Vegas for my 50th birthday.
As summer 2019 approached my body was showing the impact of shooting between 800 – 1000 arrows a week and I started to worry I might not manage that 3 years I had hoped for in the beginning. But consistency started to fail as the pain sometimes kicked in during the day despite my best efforts. My coach found himself away for work and I was a little lost, though he also suggested sitting to shoot! What is wrong with these people!
Another 2nd class at the end of summer 2019, again so close to that first! and the worry that the pain would slowly increase and the chance at the first class would be lost forever. So a new coach? First meeting we discussed all the issues and I warned him friend or not, do not suggest that I sit to shoot! He decided it was time to add to the team, and a call was made to our mutual friend who is also a physio. Sometimes you need an expert!
Within a couple of weeks I had my first session with the physio and lots of tears, the NHS who are brilliant have only ever dealt with me a bit at a time but this was a list of everything, what the implications are and how we might approach them.
As the indoor season progressed the issue of the stool was raised and again I refused, but the subject was raised a few weeks later after a particularly difficult shot and I decided that I would data gather, shooting under different conditions over a period of weeks, set days, stood, sat, with and without an agent. I am an evidence based creature and though we thought we knew what the results would show I needed to prove it. I am incredibly grateful to the brave souls who agented and put up with the tantrums because the idea of sitting was still giving in.
Meeting with the physio and looking at the information and agreeing a way forward. Discussion with him and coach as to what we felt the best way to build a stool was and my county team mates set about creating my stool which I hated with a passion, so I must thank them, though I think in truth they enjoyed having a reason to get the power tools out!
So my mind! What do you do when your mind doesn’t want to do what your body needs? Well the county team gave me a talking to, the physio gave me a talking to and a couple of the wheelchair archers who I have agented for sat me down and asked why I wouldn’t give myself what I gave others? Fair question but I wasn’t really in a place to hear it!
As we approached the end of the 19/20 indoor season I found myself struggling to complete even a single round and had several weeks that saw me withdraw part way through competitions, leaving me crying for very different reasons. My last competition on my feet saw me complete the round barefoot, the judge knows me well and knew what was happening to my mental health and with the support of my county team mates I was given very strict rules that allowed me to shoot and finish the session, something I will forever be grateful for 🤗❤️🏹
One of the “naughtiest” things you can do on a range!
Spring 2020 – covid! Turns out this was great timing for Bert, I named the stool to help bond and reduce the resentment, going out when there was almost no one around to get used to the idea and feel of sitting because once people started seeing me they all had questions and opinions – unless you are supporting someone – hold your tongue!
I have cried on ranges, walked out of spaces and had a torrid time, why? My mind still sees sitting as giving in, people say things and enforce the things in my head! What business is it of anyone’s what a person requires in the way of adaptation to shoot? Consider carefully what questions you might ask and also how you ask them, you will rarely be aware of another person’s struggles.
I have learned that as my stool has been tweaked and made to fit me that a substitute can actually hinder me, grateful to the club that leant me theirs when I left Bert at home and it was a valuable lesson.
Outdoors 21 saw me dig in and fight for my right to shoot, as people tried to tell me that if I needed a shooting stool I had no place on the line! What did that determination give me? I finally, by working my backside off to prove myself to others achieved the elusive first class 🥳
It was also in this summer that I found flight, I cannot put into words how much I love flight, it allows me to stand to shoot as there is a very small number of arrows. More than that I am surrounded by the most supportive group of archers, which was so important whilst having to justify my right to shoot target archery.
Indoors 21/22 and outdoors 22 saw other things happening and whilst fighting to prove I had a place on the line the other things happening in my personal life saw me come incredibly close to quitting – life, archery – everything – my beloved sport was no longer a safe place for me to be.
Without a doubt the volunteers who I share the range with at national and international events for AGB and the flight archers kept me shooting.
I was invited to attend a field course and had an incredibly welcoming group of EFAA members allow me to share their day, but as I joined them on their journey through the trees (I was not shooting) it became apparent that the unpredictable nature of the spasms I get in my shoulder mean I will not be safe on a field course, but I would most definitely recommend trying it.
The end of the season saw me grind out the scores amongst the tears to hold onto my first class, but sadly not all ranges are now safe for me to shoot at from a mental health point of view, but I do have several ranges with shooting buddies scattered across them and of course March 23 will see Integr8Archery Club start shooting on our range.
My indoors 22/23 season has been suspended due to personal matters within the family but I am looking forward to getting back at it, though there are some issues with my back which has deteriorated further in recent months, that will need looking at but I have those 8 days at Dunster to look forward to and certainly provide the motivation I need to get out there, that and the flight season will most definitely be high points of summer 23.
Why have I shared all of this? If you have read my blogs you will certainly know some of it already.
The aims of Integr8Archery CIC and Integr8Archery Club are to make our sport open and accessible for everyone, to welcome anyone who wants to try our sport, which is – in my opinion- one of the most accessible and inclusive sports there is, but also to support those who want to stay but face challenges to be able to continue shooting.
It has been a privilege to help those who have allowed me to, some have remained as Friends of Integr8Archery where we support each other. In person on ranges, or virtually in the devices we carry in our pockets and one click away so if we wobble a message from the range to one of us at home keeps us shooting.
Some of those I am allowed to support come to me because they have heard about me from talking to someone I have helped, some approach me on a range to enquire about Bert the shooting stool, but some have come to me through my role as regional safeguarding officer and for 9 of those it’s about their ongoing wellbeing and care. Please don’t be afraid to ask for help, there will be someone you can trust if you are brave enough to ask and I do not underestimate the courage it can take to reach out.
Without a doubt I am probably proudest of using my experience, physically and mentally to help and support others and I am so pleased that people are beginning to recognise that if you are wearing an Integr8Archery shirt that you belong to a group of supportive, like minded archers and you might be on your own on that shooting line but you carry all of us with you.
If you have followed any of what I have done in the last 2 years you will be very aware of the archery in education project.
Having already worked in schools in small ways the approach by Northamptonshire Sport in May 2021 really allowed me to focus on what was achievable with Archery in schools and we now have archery in curriculum, elective sessions, after school and school clubs depending upon which school you visit. Some have multiple sessions from the list.
However, 1 school in particular, has shared our goals for how we would like to work together and with the community benefiting from the partnership.
Meetings and ideas and discussions around what we can achieve mean that this week we have agreed the partnership between Integr8Archery and Weavers school in Wellingborough.
Weavers have elective sessions whilst we await instructors and session coach training and we can look at the curriculum sessions. The Weavers/Integr8Archery school club will be fully completed in the next few weeks and Integr8Archery Club, which includes the school club, will be shooting weekly at Weavers on Saturdays and Sundays.
There will also be:
A one day event
A two day event
both indoor and outdoors with dates to fit with the county and AGB planned events. We look forward to announcing details of these 6 days of competitions soon and to jointly hosting archers at our competition events. We will be starting with the indoor season 23/24.
These events will be to raise funds for the school archery and also the projects for Integr8Archery which is a not for profit community interest company.
We have been approached by a number of people to provide beginners courses and more community groups who want sessions for various things. We now have a place to host these, some will be free and some will have charges which again will fund the school archery and the projects of Integr8Archery.
We are incredibly proud to see what we can achieve by working together as a school, club and community interest company to achieve our goals for the local community, not least our belief that by offering young people alternative ways to spend their time and provide access to sport we might improve or change lives and hopefully help prevent even 1 person making the choice that sees young people find themselves in a situation that they feel impossible to leave, and we know that unfortunately in current times this situation is leading to increased street violence which is more frequently in the news.
So, we have lots of things planned and more announcements around this partnership in coming weeks but we are very excited about how we may fulfil our goals together.
On a personal level I would like to thank in particular Magnus and Scott at Weavers and Chris and Ben at Integr8Archery Club. There are others who have helped by listening to me at all hours too and my dad was thrilled as we sat on New Years Eve and I discussed how close we were to finalising our plans. I am grateful to have people who believe in me.
Momentum is gathering, so many meetings in the next 4 weeks! 1 national governing body, 2 activity partnerships, 2 counties, 1 region, 3 schools, 4 meetings with project coaches, 1 tournament organiser, children’s coaching collaborative, we are undefeatable webinar, catching up with Belong, Youth Sports Trust, 5 local community groups – 3 to discuss brand new projects.
So if you want a chat, drop me a line and we will get it arranged.
Just a warning for those who see me in person I am currently in my sugar rush without the sugar excited mood – I know you don’t all know quite what to do with me when I am excited about news!!! 😂😂
Also fingers crossed as Disability Sports Coach are looking into what we can do to restart my training as I had to suspend my course with what has happened in the last 5 weeks, hopefully we will find a way to get back on track and I can crack on with learning 5 new sports.
Whatever your weekend holds, stay safe, stay warm and enjoy ❤️🏹
Meetings with coaches who work on my archery in education project and who have been amazing this last couple of months at keeping me up to date with what is happening when I can’t drop in. Early morning, lunch time and late evenings have been maximised to catch up in person and make sure that Integr8Archery continue to provide the best opportunities for the children we work with. Feed back on groups and individuals to allow us to look at what adjustments are needed has been vital.
I have loved the news of children progressing and that they are enjoying pushing themselves, and challenging their coaches to find ways of achieving the goals they have set themselves.
The latest conversation with the activity partnership has put me in touch with a couple of new groups in the Muslim community and conversations have started there around what we can achieve together. Exciting as always. That conversation with the activity partnership also gave us ideas of new ways we can help each other for a numbers of grassroots projects.
So excited around the ideas for our school partnership, and that the ideas I had bouncing around for revenue for the school and for Integr8Archery to continue the community links. Our Tournament Organiser rightly wanted to know what he was signing up for before agreeing but he’s in and we will have amazing news over the coming weeks and months around our plans. He knows me well enough that we would have told me I was crazy of it wasn’t achievable 😂😂 glad to have him on board and looking forward to the future.
So that’s the relationship bridges.
How about the real bridges?
In place of flowers for dad’s funeral on the 6/2/23 we have already publicised that we would prefer donations that will be split between Ashgate Hospice and Blythe House Hospice.
To date we have donations totalling £680 to be split between the two, and we are incredibly grateful to his friends at the RAOB, particularly Pilsley Lodge who have been incredibly supportive.
On the 1/1/23 when we called 111 we were blessed to be in the area covered by the Rapid Response Palliative Care Car which had literally been put into service just a few weeks earlier and is funded to cover the High Peak and Derbyshire Dales areas.
They came to support us in the care and decisions around dad’s wishes. Their support over those 3 days and nights was vital in allowing us to carry out what dad had requested those few short months earlier when he received his diagnosis.
That first visit whilst we were doing paperwork and chatting I discussed with Jill and her colleague a joint love of crazy ideas and things we have done before to raise money for charity, and we made an agreement that when things were ready we would tick off an item to raise money for charity – that shared item on each of our wish lists will take a little longer to plan and so with the fundraising team at Blythe House we are starting the work now to allow us to achieve that in 2024, but in the meantime – 2023 will see me throw myself off another height for charity, I will share details on how you can sponsor me in the coming days but for now, pencil this date in your diary and if you want to come and support anyone taking part – well, it’s a beautiful spot for a stroll anyhow 🤗🥰
Dad has often told me I am mad, he’d surely be disappointed if I gave up the family crazy streak now 😉😂
So enjoy your weekend and let me know how you are doing 🤗 May your arrows fly strong ❤️🏹
If you have been following us a little while or even just had a quick look around the website, you will know we have our own archery club and that we are a little bit different, this allows us to fit our aims and our needs together quite nicely.
We get asked if people can join, yes – absolutely. So we are a hybrid club, as a regular member you can pay your AGB fees via us and we will be your first club. We are also a school club and as such have school satellite sites dotted about. Why is this important? It really only impacts you from a range perspective. We have 4 school ranges registered to the club, this will be increasing to 6 very shortly. These are not open to anyone but are specific to our groups who shoot there. At the moment Integr8Archery Club doesn’t have a range of it’s own for regular members, simply there aren’t enough of us in one place, this may change it may not. We have members around the country. For some we are actually their second club as they want to support us and our aims but they are too far away to shoot with us on a regular basis. These archers are also choosing to have a club shirt and often, in place of their name on the back, choosing to put the name of their first club to allow them to support both clubs with one shirt, an idea that I love.
I did say I would let you know where and when we will be so that when you want to join us to fling some arrows you could join us. For those of us who are local to Northampton I have chosen our main shooting spot to be Archers of Raunds and these are my second club. Why? Simply the hand of friendship that they have extended me, over the last couple of years especially and they are one of the clubs involved in the archery in education project. When I discussed the needs of Integr8Archery Club they didn’t hesitate. So I would like to take this opportunity to thank them again for the support that they give me on a personal level and also the work I do at grassroots level.
There are some other clubs you will likely see me pop up at as these are where my shooting friends are and where I have always been welcomed – Long Buckby has the advantage of my friend and county captain who allows me to pick his knowledge when things aren’t right. Banbury Cross is another warm welcome and my aim as I settle back into routine is to visit these 2 clubs once a month if I can. In the summer I try and get to Bowmen of Glen at least once a fortnight as the company is great and of course I need to settle and get over more often again to my shooting buddies at Kestrels which again was easier in the summer but definitely worth the effort. Don’t forget the clubs that extend a welcome for us to shoot have shooting fees and some require a pre-booked lane.
Usually I love competition and spend most of my Sunday’s doing just that, I’m working on it and will get back to it and when I start booking places I will let you know so that you can join me if and when you wish as some of you have suggested that you would enjoy this as a way of getting together.
So that’s hopefully answered some questions, if I have missed something don’t be shy – ask. See you on the shooting line soon.
If you have looked at the website and you have been following my blogs then you will know that the anti violence campaign is something that I feel incredibly strongly about.
On the 14th May I took part and helped marshal the march in Wellingborough led by the charity Off the Streets which culminated in the arrival at the knife angel monument which stopped for a few hours on it’s journey from Northampton to Corby in order for it to be part of this important day. The aim of the day, and any hosting of the monument is to provoke discussion around what we can do as individuals and together, in unison, to stop street violence. You can read about the day on the knife angel page of this website.
As I was busy talking to people around the topic and what we can do to help offer alternatives for our young people than to join those gangs that is often how they find themselves where violence is the only answer, I entirely forgot to sign the anti violence pledge. So, the following weekend, joined by my friend and our children we visited the monument at it’s stop in Corby. When we returned home it was to be told that moments after we left my friend’s house the air ambulance had made a landing in the local park as there had been a young person stabbed just that afternoon.
Today whilst visiting my parents, I became aware that the Manchester Bee monument which is made entirely of firearms and blades collected in an amnesty in the Manchester area, was being hosted locally by Derbyshire Constabulary. The weapons used to create the bee are part of what has been collected in the Forever Amnesty campaign.
I had the privilege of visiting the bee today in Derbyshire at Cromford Mills, the first host constabulary outside of Manchester for this important symbol of what we are all trying to aim for, to bring about social change. The bee has 2 other venues in Derbyshire – tomorrow 19th December at Buxton town centre and on Wednesday 21st December at Hall Leys Park, Matlock Town Centre. If you are able to, please pop along and visit, collect your own little handcrafted bee – at no cost, but to help promote conversation at home or work. The monument is less visually imposing than the knife angel but no less thought provoking or emotive. I think the inclusion of guns has a massive impact visually and for me, gave me new things to think about in addition to those previous thoughts and conversations I had had, earlier in the year.
I must also say thank you to the 2 officers who had been on the process of packing up at the end of the day for making time to allow an out of area Witness Care Officer to not just have a quick look, but to discuss what these crimes mean to us on a daily basis both in and out of work, and what our thoughts are around who and how might be able to help drive change.
Following my time with the knife angel I had communicated with Clive Knowles who is the Chairman and National Youth Violence Educational Programme and Tour Lead, to look at how the anti violence pledge could be made available online to those who wanted to sign up but were not near a local hosting event, and as you are aware I proudly announced, and have shared the link several times since, now that this access has been completed and I ask you again to consider what role you could take in helping stop or prevent violence on our streets.
I am not asking you to jump in if you see something happening. I am asking you to consider what, if any, small part can you play in offering an alternative for a young person who may not yet have joined that gang that would take them down the path where violence becomes the only answer.
Yes, I have worked in this area for almost 30 years but that’s dealing with what has happened!
I see my role in anti violence and prevention much more in the many hours I give in grassroots sports, where we can show there is an alternative place to belong. A different group to join. One that will not take you down a path where violence is the choice you face.
I was asked recently by a coach “ why is this my issue, why should I be involved?”.
Aren’t we all trying to work towards young people choosing sport?
Don’t you see how that fits the aims of the of anti violence and social change campaign? It’s a huge part!
So many of us are working to improve access at grassroots levels and to get our sport into schools, this is such a logical part of what we are doing and that is your pledge, right there.
So signing the pledge is just becoming part of that wider group who together, each with our own small step, can create a movement that might make our streets safer for the people caught up in these issues. Remember some of those who fall victim are simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, it’s not all those “wrong uns” as was recently described to me!!
