Event recap

53 weeks – a year and one week 😜 I appeared everywhere this week! In print and in person❤️🏹

Helen Sharpe Blog with a message, Event recap, News, weekly update

Thank you to Jonathon Yau for his photos this weekend and the various parents who caught me as I ran around.

I have spoken before about volunteering for Archery GB and the competition team. As I enjoy competing I am grateful to those who work hard to put events on, whatever the level, local club scored rounds to international competitions the basics are very similar, just number of competitors that often see the need for an increase in the numbers of workforce required. Don’t be afraid, give it a go, those who have been doing it a while are always on hand in the moment to help and as with any busy, time restricted happening, there’s occasionally a cross word, but at the end of the day when we collapse over food and prep for tomorrow this are resolved and forgotten and replaced with laughter.

We are successful because we work hard together and take care of each other, we are a team. Blue shirts, green shirts, paid staff and volunteers and by far the most important thing is we have a sense of humour, as can often be seen in the photos.

Why do I do it? This weekend I had a child approach me to ask if they could show me a photo, a collage of what they have won or earned since last year’s JNOC. This same child stood on this same grass a year ago crying and they were going to quit, not withdraw from the competition but quit the sport. I, as I often do, saw them and started a conversation, with them, with their parent. We kind of sorted it, they went back to the line, and a couple of times came back to find me over the weekend for another little chat. A year later they wanted to show me their achievements and thanked me for helping them stay in the sport.

It is a privilege to be allowed to help someone pause, breathe and reset. I have children and adults who often come to find me at competitions to let me know how they are doing, 6 months, a year, 5 years later, 1 who messages me occasionally from overseas to update me as they no longer live in the UK. Often these are people who I don’t know until I see them crying on a range. In part it’s who I am, I know how it feels when life is biting you, if I can help I will. In part it’s the safeguarding officer in me. Mental well-being is as important as everything else that we are taking care of.

Which is why it’s hard to see children, or adults, crying because a parent or coach is shouting, in some cases swearing at an archer. As they come back from the line, being berated for their scores! There are less of these than those who support, but there are far too many and whilst we are looking at ways to change it, it’s huge, a culture created over time. It’s not acceptable and certainly I have seen and supported some with very real, very serious examples of bullying.

There’s also too many examples of children bullying others, encouraged by parents and coaches because throwing them off their game might bring down their scores and let you win. Sure it might, but it does make you a bully and it’s not something to encourage by responsible grown ups!

As ever my body hates what I drag out of it when I do these events and I now have to recover. It’s worth it to me, another event that was a success put on by team work. Now it’s time to sit and reflect on what happened, what I might do going forward and also how I might help create change for others too.

Thank you to everyone who reached out to celebrate my first year of Integr8Archery and those who have read the membership magazine will see the numbers quoted vary a little from what I was able to finalise for my end of year data, simply because they needed information to get the magazine ready and I still had another 6 weeks work to put in! You will have noticed that I am on more than one page 😱😂 but it’s making me smile how you all think Clair is me too, my shirt and hats are warn by many, I am not the only crazy archer out there getting bows in hands, I do have help 🙃

Thank you to everyone who sent kind words in reply to the Northamptonshire Sports article on my being selected as a Northants Active Champion, it was a little overwhelming and incredibly humbling – thank you 😊

Events delivered last week, more planned over this week and the summer and meetings, meetings, meetings! The latest children’s coaching collaborative meeting discussing play their way, was another great session and it’s always great to be in the multi sports environment as I do think that whilst things need to change in archery there’s lots who need the same change and supporting each other can only make us stronger.

I am trying to pull as much together as I can before my Dunster week, I don’t know what time or internet access I will have whilst there for 10 days so let’s get what we can sorted before I am away. It’s amazing how many people have asked me to shave days off my trip, no! I have worked hard this last year to stay in my sport with a bow in my hand and to relearn the joy and how to smile. So I won’t be giving it up! I don’t care about scores or bling, I am going to experience something I was previously discouraged from doing and doing it with my friend.

I will let you know how it goes as I am sure I will be encouraging you all to give it a go to.

Take care and enjoy your week 🥰 hugs and kisses to you all

Week 51 – busily approaching the 1st birthday 🥳❤️🏹

Helen Sharpe Event recap, weekly update

It’s been a busy week for sure! Meetings, calls, reviews and prepping for the end of school year fun and competitions, the summer holidays and for the new school year in September. So many ongoing projects and new ones in the pipelines. Looks like year 2 of Integr8Archery is going to be as busy as the first one!

I managed to put in a little bit of time for marshalling at the 5k at Castle Ashby, I love the vibe of the running community, Rose and I loved running and volunteering and I still get joy from that environment. It also reminds me that I have volunteered for many years without archery and that I and the outside world have a lot to offer each other.

Multi sports is a great way to find balance and I love sharing ideas around what combining forces can achieve, which led to a fantastic conversation yesterday and maybe new possibilities of us joining together for the community. So many of us have similar aims but can feel the tasks are too big, sharing can be a great way of helping each other at the same time as creating community projects.

Only managed to shoot practise arrows this week at limited distance but it feels good to have the bow in my hand. Planning for Dunster is huge priority and I am very much looking forward to the week.

Lots planned for this coming week as I approach the first birthday of Integr8Archery CIC, the data looks fantastic and I am incredibly happy with what I have achieved and grateful to those who have joined me in this first year, to deliver what we have.
For now I shall concentrate on the three events this week and the several meetings, whilst enjoying reflecting on the high points and learning from the things that didn’t go to plan.

Enjoy your week, everyone.

This is going to make me smile for a while, not being allowed to go as a child, but earning my first brownies badge at 48 years old and sharing campfire s’mores ❤️🏹🥰

Week 50 – Disability, inclusion, mental health, support – bringing all the work together ❤️🏹

Helen Sharpe Announcement, Event recap, Health, Joining forces for strength, News, weekly update

So, I am excited and have news to share, some explaining too! It’s long but you have had some short blogs the last few weeks 😉😂

As you will know I am a huge advocate of disability, mental health and inclusion. I passionately believe that sport can help change lives, I have seen it and I have been a part of it. It takes commitment not just from the individual but those working and supporting to make it happen! Now I am in a place to pull several things together so grab a cuppa and let me tell you 🤗

You will be aware that both myself and my son have disability – his epilepsy, mine doesn’t have a one word label!
I’ll explain me a little –

My bones are twisted, puts a lot of strain on my joints which don’t all work or sit quite how they should, at 20 I was offered the choice of two surgeries to try and help my left knee – one was on the knee itself and especially the ligaments around it to try and make it easier, or more radically they could plate and screw some bones in my legs to set about straightening them and see if that improved things! They were not entirely convincing about what would come of the more major surgery and if there would be any improvement at all so I went for the knee option, and following that initial surgery have had a further three surgeries on that knee.

I am clumsy, my balance and co-ordination vary but I can fall over fresh air and have literally been stood talking and just fallen as my balance goes! Remember – I meet life with humour so sure make sure I am ok but we are going to laugh at these things!

Broken bones – feet, hands, fingers and my left shoulder blade!

Nerve damage from various things lower back, thoracic spine, feet, left lower leg and for added “fun” some sciatica!

I often say everything is fine, my left elbow and my eyelashes don’t hurt! Remember – humour! But pain is definitely one of the biggest barriers I face and I am incredibly grateful to have a superb physio in Ben 😊

I have a hearing impairment in my right ear as a result of damage, for a while there was talk of metal plates in my skull but I managed to avoid that. It is one of the reasons you might see me in my bobble hat even in summer, drafts hurt it and impact the ability to hear, hats stop drafts.

Several health issues, the two that impact my shooting – asthma which can be triggered by a number of things but especially heat, cold and hay fever – did I mention I am allergic to straw bosses 😂😂😂😂🫣🫣😱 I have a blood disorder, we ruled out the serious stuff that kills you but I am left with a reduced ability to store folate and iron, so I eat a lot of food that helps this and take some industrial grade, prescription top ups, but this can create huge fatigue and on bad days being awake is an incredible challenge – let alone moving!

Mental health? Anxiety and PTSD pretty much see that as a daily thing, some days I can plan for months, some days let’s see if I can breathe for 10 minutes. I have been to the very darkest places in my mind, in fact, they literally sit there daily, but when things are going well, I’m just carrying it with me, as I brave the world and smile. I am blessed that my counsellor is awesome and a tight circle of friends are there constantly 🤗🥰

Why do I tell you all of this, it’s so that you can gain a little understanding for why disability, inclusion and mental health are such an important focus for me.

Archery has given me ways to help my mind, if I don’t clear the messy head space those arrows are going nowhere useful. The process and routine are soothing, calming. Ranges are my safe space.

That’s not to say it’s easy, I have been challenged by people who have questioned my right to be there, on a range, on a shooting line – apparently I look ok – so why do I need to sit to shoot, have an agent? On a good day I might explain a little and try and educate, on a hard day I may tell you it’s none of your business, on a rough day, I might step away, think you are right, I have no place, I am an inconvenience and spiral, if we go back to my longest spell in the house, I literally didn’t leave for many months, long before you could get everything delivered to the house. Every day I have a process to step out of the door, might your unthinking words shut me inside?

However there are also many, many amazing people to be found on ranges who welcome, and support and help, these people question but because they want to understand so they can help, so very different.

Over the last several years I have done a lot of work around health and inclusion and supporting people to step on to a range, but also in other sports too. It’s amazing to watch people try something that they thought would reject them and find they are welcome, archery is one of the most adaptable sports there is and I am lucky to have friends who have worked in many areas, I find it unlikely that if you can tell me what you need that I can’t find it for you in that pool of amazing people.

I am told that I think outside the box, I just see me as me, but it’s definitely helped when thinking of ways to help people come to the range, our own voice in our mind can be the biggest battle we face and it takes different things for different people to push their own boundaries.

I have supported existing archers who have found themselves in a place where maybe they might have to consider their ability to stay on the range, some it’s been adaptions, some changing bow styles and some moving to seated. It’s always a privilege when someone reaches out and says can we talk, you might be able to help me, I know that reaching out for help isn’t easy. Some take the information and go off and do their thing, some keep in touch and some remain as part of our growing support network to give and receive support on our tough days.

With all of this and more in mind, I can now announce a plan we have.

Who are we? Let me explain.

I work with lots of coaches to deliver my projects and support groups who want sustainable archery, getting it set up and then mentoring in the long term. It works, our reviews show this. Northamptonshire carers contacted me to help put archery back into their disability inclusive sports sessions that they run for children with disabilities and their families.
The coaches who help me with this are Nick and Jackie from Towcester Archery Club and a great job they do too.

Early in 2023 I had some conversations (thankful as ever for the technology that allows us to be in different spaces and hold meetings and conversations) around a number of different ideas we have and things we can do together with Nick Wilson, who many know as the Disabled Adventurer. We made arrangements for him to come to Towcester Archery Club who kindly offered to host me, Nick and other exiting archers who wanted to come and shoot and talk about the impact of our sport on their disability and mental health.

Nick had a great time as did coach Nick, this was also a great example of how sometimes we fear what we don’t know, I have seen people turned away from clubs because of their disability and speaking with coaches, clubs and archers I am firmly of the belief that whilst a minority is about exclusion for many it’s the worry that a lack of knowledge might mean they can’t help or what if they injure a person? However we’re as many don’t say that and don’t ask for help with improving their own knowledge they just say no. I have managed to get the odd coach to discuss this and been able to link them with coaches who have the knowledge to mentor them.

This very idea now sees Integr8Archery and Towcester Archery Club come together to offer Nick Wilson a bespoke beginners course and coach Nick who was worried about his own knowledge is taking the opportunity to learn alongside him. The 2 Nicks will learn from each other and I have some coaches experienced with a huge variety of disabilities waiting to help amend support and coach Nick is attending the disability inclusion training being hosted in the midlands. I am excited to see what comes of this for both of them.

When I posted that I was holding the session and invited people along, I was blown away by the messages that I received from archers who would like the opportunity to have a safe space, where occasionally they can come together in an inclusive setting regardless of their physical, learning disabilities or mental health, where they don’t have to explain why they do x,y,z. But to be in an environment with others who love this sport, who enjoy shooting and the things it gives us, but who occasionally feel isolated or uncomfortable and we accept that the person who creates that doesn’t always know and we aren’t always strong enough to speak out.

So after some conversations around what we can do, Towcester Archery Club and Integr8Archery will be hosting sessions inviting those who consider they have a disability and or want a space where they can feel their mental health is safe, to come together and shoot every 2 months. We are just pulling together the first list of dates and will announce these in the next few days along with some information around what we have planned for some of those dates along with the ones that we can just chat and shoot and share a cuppa. There will also be instructions on how to join us.

I am excited as I am not aware of anything else offered that is similar to this so I think Towcester Archery Club and Integr8Archery are hopefully going to show what we can achieve and others may set up similar sessions.

So watch this space over the next few days and follow the instructions if you would like to join us, let’s grow this community I have started, for archers who want support and also for coaches who want to learn how to help. Thank you so very much to Dean and Nick for your help and support so far, let’s create change together 🥰🏹❤️

Week 46 – start archery completed … and breathe 🧘

Helen Sharpe Event recap, Numbers and stats, weekly update

Start archery is finished for 2023! Our two days on the 8th May and the 13th May saw 72 and 103 people join us and a total of 129 people across the two events picked up a bow for the first time! That’s great news for our little club and my community interest company.

Thank you to Weavers School for our great partnership, Wellingborough Muslim Community for trusting me and Northamptonshire Sports for helping us get the 4 sessions on for the WMC group. I never take the support of others for granted, and as these figures show, together we can achieve amazing things.

It is also a good time to thank Archery GB who in 2021 gave me a little pot of money (£1000) to see how I could use it for my projects, much of this was used to fund training for workforce, two instructors (£450) and half funding for 2 sessions coaches (£250) The remaining monies (£300) was put toward the cost of my indoor netting and frames to allow sessions to be out on at schools and other venues.

Why is it a suitable time to thank them again? Because those two sessions coaches who do work within my education project this weekend helped with the second start archery session.

A large focus for this week was of course the charity abseil I was doing on Friday at Millers Dale viaduct and I thank everyone who has sponsored me and my cousin, the help we had from the palliative care car that is funded by the hospice was invaluable and these things are the least I can do.

I managed to shoot at the Wellingborough Open Archery Club competition on Sunday. Purely for fun as the sessions to sort my bow out in the week had to be cancelled due to the storms, I was asked if it was really necessary to cancel – erm yes! We don’t shoot in thunder and lightening – and just to prove why, a house along the way from us did get hit and had quite the fire as a result! Thankfully no one was injured.

I managed to catch up with some friends and enjoyed the day at WOAC so that is all good. As expected the score was poor but a badly set up bow was always going to see that happen. Hopefully to be sorted this week, time booked so let’s hope the weather holds off!

in the five years I have been shooting my OCD traits have been very obvious! I shoot in nice number volumes ordinarily 30’s, 60’s etc, so this week’s total of arrows shot for the #greatarrowcount is hurting my eyes with 486 arrows 😱🫣🤷‍♀️ but hey what can you do?

Right, off to do lots of planning for club, groups and sessions and my own shooting.

Take care and look after you.

This week is mental health awareness week so please take a look at the link and see what you might be able to do for yourself or others.

Week 45 – start archery a great example of pulling things together ❤️🏹

Helen Sharpe Event recap, Joining forces for strength, weekly update

This week saw Integr8Archery host its first community event. It was a pleasure to welcome Wellingborough Muslim Community to our range where we reside at the invitation of Weavers Academy. The club – school arrangement is, I believe a new kind of way for a club and school to work together.

I have worked with Northamptonshire Sports looking at how we can include archery and share knowledge across multiple sports in the county to the benefit of clubs and community for several years.

They have sponsored a series of 4 sessions for the group and the 8th May saw the first of these, timed to be part of the Archery GB start archery week and to allow the first session to include the Eid celebrations.

The coaches who have come together for these dates also include one sponsored by the Northamptonshire Sports Couch to Coach funding, Chris is using the funding to increase her skill level from instructor which she has done for a number of years for guides, to become a sessions coach, something that she has been inspired to do after joining the coaching team for the Archery In Education project from 2021. She is part of the delivery team for Weavers Academy after delivering at a number of schools for me.

I would like to thank Suzanne Fossey of Archery GB for joining us on the day and taking a lot of the photos that we now have from the event. As always it’s a pleasure to see you Suzanne 🙂

The day saw 73 people pick up a bow to try the sport and this was despite the weather forecast. The decision was made to delay the Eid celebration until a later session due to the rain but that did not stop the feeling of community, sharing each others company and chatting over food. I think the best way to describe the day was a sense of family, people coming together and sharing the day and when they weren’t shooting there were games of cricket and football to entertain as they took turns to shoot in groups.

Many things were discussed including future events and ideas for different groups and sessions with different purposes, but also conversations were opened around ideas such as self defence but also mental health and bereavement.

I had anticipated a great day but what we got was so very much more. I look forward with the coming 3 sessions but also moving forward with the other things discussed on the day.

Many thanks to Wellingborough Muslim Community for trusting us to introducing them to our sport and to Matthew and Ben from Northamptonshire Sports. Integr8Archery look forward to seeing what comes from our joint relationship.

Can you fix your mental space on a range?

Helen Sharpe Event recap


I have shared my battles with my mental health, the only possible good that can come of my darkest thoughts, is that by sharing my experiences they may help someone else.

I was in a good place, perfect? No, there’s no such thing but lots of good stuff and the other stuff was balanced and I could deal with it because of the good stuff. A bump in the road in July 2021, but on I carried. Then boom November 2021! I carried on in my belief that it was fixable for 6 months. May 2022 and I found myself sat on the shooting line at Kestrels, a place I love, surrounded by friends and a bunch of people from my then club, some who I had convinced to join me, some in their first competition.

What happened that day was massive, I broke down after months of trying to carry on. I cried for 48 arrows! I wanted to leave and go home, I knew that if I did I would never pick up a bow again. I no longer cared and I wanted to leave. However, there were people there who I had convinced to compete for the first time! So I stayed and it was horrific.

In the year since? I sank further in the next few weeks, I was supported by some very special people and tried to carry on. Just a few weeks later I was told I had no place in this sport in any role of any kind and that I should walk away. I almost did.

Some very real conversations and here I am. I have worked hard, harder than I thought I was capable of.

So I needed to test exactly how much I have improved, in my head space. Am I strong enough to carry on in this sport?

In my opinion the very best way to test that was to enter that same competition a year later and see what happened. Issues with my kit meant I was turning up with a bow that wasn’t set up properly and certainly not tuned, none of that matters, if every arrow went in the grass it simply wouldn’t matter because I was not going for the scores!

I knew I had lots of support there and if I needed it I could reach out, and if I had to leave then I would.

My aim? To arrive smiling, maintain that and leave smiling.

Though I woke up a little anxious as I knew that if this didn’t go well it could be a disaster – I was also excited. So I got dressed and away we set, my friend was joining me and we would have fun.

Well, when I was sat on the shooting line I was smiling, I was buzzing!

The shooting wasn’t great – erm – remember the bow wasn’t set up! Who cares, I laughed and I smiled and I enjoyed the space and the people and I just kept shooting, there was not a spell during the day when I wasn’t relaxed or happy! Perfect! There were moments when I laughed and laughed.

At the end of the day my score was rubbish, though despite being a chunk off my PB it was actually a huge improvement on last year!

I can confirm that the fight and the work of the last year has been worth it, I cannot begin to explain how very much better I was on that range in 2023 compared to 2022! I cannot wait to shoot it properly in 2024! Date marked on the calendar already!

Proof that you can work hard and improve. My mental health is something I will work on forever, but absolutely worth the effort 🙂❤️🏹

A day late – but I had an excuse 🙃 Happy Easter 🐣

Helen Sharpe Event recap

Sorry, yesterday was very busy, as is always to be expected on finals day!

However I sit here having been a small cog in the huge network of staff and volunteers that have pulled off another great event. My third international event now but I have lost count of how many events I have volunteered and helped with for Archery GB. What I do remember are the people, volunteers, competitors and everyone else that I have met along the road. For the most part amazing people.

My family of blue shirts are, in my opinion, unbeatable when we get together. Thanks and respect, as always to the amazing Malcolm Rees who goes to fantastic lengths to get the best images📸

I have managed to keep on top of most things, but will be sitting down later and likely much of tomorrow replying to emails, requests and generally getting everything back on track for the next few weeks especially with the events that Integr8Archery will be hosting, exciting times.

This week I received a message from the Royal Volunteer Service to tell me that I have been nominated for a Coronation Champions Award! Winning these is never something that I aim for but I have now been told by who and why I have been nominated and it has blown me away! Wow! Humbled 🤗

This week sees me start a new day job, I say day job, I will be working shifts but I am very excited about the challenges it will bring whilst also allowing me to hopefully make a difference.

Have a good week and enjoy those arrows ❤️🏹

Week 37 – DISC launch, design visuals and thank you.

Helen Sharpe Announcement, Event recap, Joining forces for strength, News, weekly update

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

Week 28 – appearing on the radio!

Helen Sharpe Blog with a message, Event recap, News, weekly update
Representing the county on the local radio

Thank you to everyone who has reached out or let me move meetings and things. Sport is made up of some amazing people and this week has proven that both within my own sport and others who I collaborate with, the very best of sporting attributes have played a part in getting me through most days.

Obviously not being at home means I have not shown up in person for anything but for the things I could not delay the lessons we learned in Covid regarding virtual communication have proven priceless.

I will not bore you with details of arrangements being made but will celebrate them at later dates when things start to happen. However, thank you to Maggie, Duncan and Chris for getting on with schools and arranging things between them. It has been incredibly helpful to just have that lifted from me.

So, the only real thing to shout about was today’s radio appearance!

BBC radio Northampton had approached the local activity partnership, Northamptonshire Sports, to be linked with people in local sports to take part in the afternoon show hosted by Tim Wheeler and includes a music quiz and I was somewhat anxious about representing the sport and failing to get anything right 😱🫣 as a heavy rock / metal fan I was especially scared of getting a bunch of pop song related questions, so I chose 70’s in the hope there may me some glam rock or those quirky hits!

My aim was to promote the sport and it’s inclusivity and hopefully I didn’t embarrass the sport or the county as I was representing NCAS.

Have a listen for yourself and judge with kindness please, you can hear me from 15:44 to 15:58.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_radio_northampton

pretty much my radio face 😂😂😂🫣

Week 25 – a little early but it’s important! Anti violence campaign- Manchester Bee 🐝

Helen Sharpe Announcement, Blog with a message, Event recap, Joining forces for strength, News, weekly update
Manchester Bee at Cromford Mills

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!!