Blog with a message - Integr8Archery

12 weeks!!

Helen Sharpe Blog with a message, News, Re-published blogs, weekly update 20 September 20228 November 2022

As I hit my 12 weeks anniversary of Integr8archery it’s on the back of a week of volunteering with AGB and I find myself heading towards another weekend of volunteering, it drew my mind to the suggestion that I have nothing else in my life. This is a conversation that I often recall and still wonder why the person who said it believed it to be an insult?!

Which of course then leads me to the first blog I had published by Aim4sport.

Should you be interested in volunteering but are unsure where to start, please take a look at the Archery GB website

Should you be interested in the blog, please find it below, should you wish to read it:

YOU ONLY HAVE ARCHERY IN YOUR LIFE !! – HELEN SHARPE

First published by Aim4sport on the 26th February 2021

Approximately 18 months ago, as I sat amongst the parents as our children were all in their coaching session, another parent threw these words at me in anger:

“You only have archery in your life!!”

As he stood there looking at me quite obviously waiting for me to argue with him and list all the things that I do outside of archery

My reply was in fact:

“without people like me, who give back – your sport, our sport, wouldn’t function on any level!”

So yes, I am proud to say I have, outside my day job and parenting, given much of my time to my sport.

On that day I could list myself as:

Archer
Parent of archers
Wife of an archer
Club safeguarding officer, treasurer and health and safety officer.
County secretary and county representative at regional meetings.
Regional safeguarding officer.
AGB ambassador.

I had also recently had the privilege of stepping into the county captain’s shoes to take care of the county junior squad at a competition when the county captain was away at work.

So, yes I would appear to have nothing else in my life other than archery!

Well, be honest, can you find me some spare time there for a hobby!

Those who know me well know I am incapable of sitting still with nothing to do.

What many see as a chance to chill and relax? I simply see as immensely stressful and makes me restless – often leads to mischief and trouble.

So 2020 brought a pandemic and lockdown, restrictions and furlough.

How to fill that time?

Well I started, along with a lot of the nation, by trying to work in the garden, it’s seriously neglected ordinarily as we concentrate on shooting those arrows.

This was however short lived when I stuck my leg on a tree and found myself with a hole in my leg!

So what to do now I have no work or shooting?

Lockdown 3 has also found me being approached by people new to furlough asking this whilst the range is closed and they have no access to the shooting that helps with their mental health.

I stumbled across studying, haven’t done any for a while so decided to see what might help in that list of roles whilst I was injured, furloughed and the ranges were closed.

Nearly 12 months on I have now completed 3 level 2 courses around mental health and safeguarding related topics along with some other shorter courses.

May 2020 saw the opening of ranges under restrictions, many people on the committee and coaches were on the shielding lists so with the help of 3 willing volunteers I took on the task of getting the club open, which was made easier by the many webinars and sessions related to archery and multi sports that I had sat in on since early April.

As we have rolled from lockdown, restrictions and tiers this has been my focus to allow anyone who wants to shoot the chance to be able to shoot. Our sport ticks so many boxes but in strange times many want that time on the range to help with their mental health.

I have worked with the NGB to get disabled archers back on the field last summer, when they do not have an agent in their household.

Now in lockdown 3 I am agent for an archer who is able to shoot under the disability exemption.

I am constantly in webinars, training sessions and meetings in our sport or across other sports working together to keep grassroots going.

Do I only have archery in my life? Probably, is it an insult? – never. I will work to allow people to enjoy my sport, our sport because I love it and all that it can give.

Would I recommend you give as many hours as I do to volunteer – no!!

Would I recommend you find a way to volunteer even a couple of hours a year?

Absolutely, because in my opinion, you will get something back if you give even a little.

With respect and thanks

Helen Sharpe Blog with a message, News 8 September 20224 October 2022

It has been a strange day today, I think we all knew what news was going to break as the day wore on. For me the significant thing, whilst also small for many, was early in the day when the BBC newsreaders had all changed to black ties. This was not simply just news that the queen was unwell.

The breaking news this evening that our Queen had died was sad but not unexpected. A lady who has lived a life of service to the public, a nation, the commonwealth.

I am not interested in a debate around the monarchy.

I am interested in if the media will respect a family who have lost a beloved member.

In the coming days we will live through history, see things many of us never have, state mourning, a state funeral, a coronation.

I shall choose to remember a graceful lady who served us with calm and dignity regardless of how stormy the world was around her. Whose family speak of her with love and fondness and who showed us her cheeky sense of humour, the James Bond scene for the 2012 Olympics, the Paddington Bear scene for the jubilee.

Rest In Peace and thank you for your service.

9 weeks! Let’s get some things straight and then move forward without the questions 🙂

Helen Sharpe Announcement, Blog with a message, News, Numbers and stats, weekly update 30 August 20228 November 2022

So – 9 weeks in!

After 6 years of working on so many things at grassroots level I truly felt I had lost everything and had no choice but to step away from my sport, the sport which I am truly passionate about.

I have given 20-30 hours a week consistently for a good 4 years volunteering in so many ways.

But when I fell apart yet again on a range on the 27/6/22 it was in the company of someone different. Someone who knew the whole messy story and had a different way of dealing with what was happening to me.

I am incredibly grateful to those few people who had helped me get through every day before that. Literally helping me to breathe most days since 29/12/21.

But 27/6/22 was different, maybe a combination of things, but after a very specific brand of talking to I drove home with a lot to think about, driving time is always when I churn through thoughts, added to the fact, I don’t sleep – and I certainly didn’t that night!!!

I woke up with a determination of what I wanted to achieve, that maybe, just maybe, I do have something to offer.

19 projects, between me and my best friend! Collaborating on each other’s work and also creating new work together for over 3 years. Using my links to bring Aim4sport and Archery GB together as I continued my projects under my role as ambassador.

But the mess I was in had created issues within those collaborations.

In July with a serious breakdown in communication all round, I signed over all of my rights to a number of projects, regardless of who started them or of how passionate I might be of my work or it’s aims. Moving forward under my new brand with the 8 I have kept but hopeful that as no communication was causing issues, with me stepping away, the ones I handed over could fly without me. Sad? terribly, and I had so much still to give on them, but I believed it was the best decision at the time.

I am repeatedly asked what’s happening with work that I had passionately discussed with people. The plans I had described for evolution and roll out from May to October.

Simply this, Aim4sport is not and never was mine. Whilst I do still belong to Aim4sport Archery Club, I have had to make the very sad decision to leave as it is necessary that I can satellite the children from my projects and this was no longer going to be possible under A4SAC.

So, my company is now a community interest company, a social enterprise as was always planned. There is a lot going on for those 8 projects that I have kept.

Recent conversations with Archery GB are seeing the communication get back on track and things moving forward to help me.

Should my best friend reach out, there is much I had planned for the work that I handed over and collaboration between the 2 brands could work. If not, then I genuinely hope that he succeeds and that is all I shall ever say, so please do stop asking for my opinions.

For now, I am working hard on the schools I have on board, the many I am working to get up and running by autumn. The re-estabilshment of archery in a local disability group. Work with a local group who provide access to sports for the deaf community. Return to shooting for the out of school setting educated children. Several new collaborations and a bunch of new groups, not least a possible huge Project Rimaya development.

So thank you to everyone who has kept me going in the last 9 months, those who have helped since I made the middle of the night decision that the best way forward to protect my work was to create a business!! I know there’s a small group of amazing people who woke up that Tuesday morning 9 weeks ago to find a couple of crazy messages asking for help – and I shall never take for granted that they stepped up.

And of course, thank you to my small but amazing committee who have stepped up to join me in creating a new archery club in the joined belief that we can help amazing children achieve great things.

All of these people surely share my believe that we can change lives through archery.

A little bit different as we head towards week 6

Helen Sharpe Blog with a message, News, weekly update 5 August 20228 November 2022

This mid week post is a little different and it’s not often this kind of post will occur but it is my website and I think it’s important to remember some things.

Though I started volunteering at the age of 16 it wasn’t until I was 21 that I made a promise to myself that if I came through an horrifying event, that I would spend my life trying to make a difference in some way.

As I was experiencing my own trauma I recalled two years earlier sitting at work early in my civil service career, listening to the mother of Suzy Lamplugh talk to us about the importance of keeping ourself safe and thinking how I had let her down.

It is the 35th anniversary of the disappearance of Suzy and her parents used their experience to help others by creating the Suzy Lamplugh Trust . This was my first real awareness that some people use terrible events to create something positive . Something I always stand in awe of.

If you have read the pages of my website you will have seen my page regarding knife crime and the national anti violence campaign . How I recently joined off the street in their march, our starting point was the location where the most recent fatal stabbing had occurred just last year. I was privileged to meet Dylan’s family and also other families who have suffered tragedy through senseless acts of violence. This week saw the conclusion of the trial into Dylan’s death and I am painfully reminded that we need to do more to give our young people an alternative place to belong than gangs – that place could be in sport .

So as I sit here worrying about if I am good enough to do my bit to make a difference – it’s ok to be a little bit scared and excited about my new path and the achievements both small and large .

I am again thankful to those who are like minded and want to make a difference too and whether we can work together or simply support each other to achieve our aims then this week has surely reminded me of why we are trying .

Be careful out there it’s only going to get hotter!

Helen Sharpe Blog with a message, Event recap, Health, News 15 July 20224 October 2022

So today’s event at the local school has been postponed until Monday to allow us to move indoors. This will be a great day to give back to a group of young carers who do an amazing job of both attending school and keeping up with their education, whilst at the same time taking care of someone .

They will have so much more fun being inside in the cooler environment than trying to battle the rising temperatures and heatwave.

With this in mind, and the fact that earlier in the year I signed up with melanoma fund to become a sun guard ambassador I would ask you to take some time to look at how you take care of yourself over the next few days.

Key is looking at heatstroke, heat exhaustion and hydration.

Staying safe and well in the heat – messaging from public health for parents/carers and guardians:

A Heat-Health alert has been put into place as even overnight temperatures are predicted to be very warm.

High temperatures come with health consequences for some people. It’s important to protect those most vulnerable including our children, those with health conditions and elderly, as well as keeping yourself safe.

Here are our top tips for staying safe in the heat:
• look out for those who may struggle to keep themselves cool and hydrated
• stay hydrated, take water with you if you are travelling or out and about
• stay out of the sun between 11am and 3pm as this is when UV rays are the strongest – avoid physical exertion at this time
• if you have to go out in the heat stay in the shade, apply sunscreen and wear a wide brimmed hat
• close curtains in rooms that the sun faces – this will help rooms remain cooler – remember it could be cooler outdoors than indoors
• never leave anyone in a parked closed vehicle – especially not animals, children or babies
• avoid travelling at peak times on motorways, particularly if transporting children or the elderly
• sadly accidents, often fatal, happen in water at this time of year particularly involving youngsters. That’s why we’re asking parents to supervise their children in and around water. Although it can be fun to cool off in water structures such as bridges, locks and flood channels, and reservoirs and quarries should be avoided. Make sure you know the RNLI’s Float to Live
• unexpectedly cold water or strong currents can catch even experienced swimmers off guard. Better to swim safely at one of the county’s organised events where support is provided

Look out for signs of heat exhaustion and heatstroke and follow some common sense behaviours to make the most of what should be a glorious time for most.

Welcome – exciting but a little scary too!

Helen Sharpe Anniversaries, Announcement, Blog with a message, Event recap, News 29 June 202225 October 2022

Hello, be kind please, this is all very new and frankly more than a little scary, I know there’s lots to do to get this website fully sorted, and it’s certainly not my strength!

So, after 5 – 6 years of doing my projects and working at improving all things grassroots either for those unsure how to get into archery or helping those who think their time shooting may be coming to an end, I decided to be brave and give myself and my work it’s own identity. Collaborations are great and sharing ideas is amazing, but regardless of who I am working with I am doing my work.

Recent weeks have made it clear that many people work with me because of my energy and passion for what we are all wanting to achieve and so here I am happy to share that with anyone who wants to join me and see what we can do together.

I have also been asked to reassure that my recent weeks of calm dress code will come to an end and the bright, cheerful, look like I have been dressed by a rainbow carrying unicorn will resume. It would seem what started as a safeguarding idea for my own daughter, which grew to encompass many county juniors, has extended pretty much to most who know me.

So the crazy, caffeine fuelled volunteer who cannot sit still and does not sleep is here forging her path and welcomes anyone who wants to join her along the way.

This will be where I post updates and news and though I may have been a little hidden for the last 10 weeks the work didn’t stop and we started 3 more primary schools and a college with archery and I helped at one of the county’s district schools soft archery competition which was great fun and I am looking forward to attending the county finals event in a couple of weeks where the top four teams from the day will join the others to see who gets the medals!!