Following the Thoresby shoot things all got very manic at work and required a lot of very long, intense hours and when at home I tired to concentrate on responding to Integr8archery emails and messages, ensuring commitments were met and planning and finalising details for new provisions and groups.
No shooting at all for 2 weeks just some clingy band work whenever I could to keep the muscles awake and ready for the county championships. Apologies to anyone living with me or trying to message me because I have been at work, asleep or in meetings ☕️
Next week will be 117 weeks which is the first quarter of my third year – it never stops being amazing.
My little non profit community interest company – reaching out to provide access to sports for so many people who think they cannot take part for such a variety of reasons.
So, numbers? (I know it’s only week 116🙃).
The first quarter is always a little lower because it covers the school summer holidays, schools are a big part of what I do, but with the community groups we have covered and the final weeks of the 23/24 academic year we have had the following numbers –
schools – 242
SEN & disability groups – 72
seniors – 58
Children in Care – 15
Children’s activity groups – 48
435 people in 3 months, I am happy with that, I love the laughter and smiles and the joy that comes with introducing the sport that I love to new people along with watching the progression of those who are wanting to.
Sunday saw the NCAS Open and County Championships and I was finally able to pick up my bow. A second bowman 1st class score in the first session and an expected dip in the second session, both beating the personal best score I set for the round in 2021. A possibility I may have set a county record for the double, claim submitted and to be confirmed, unlikely to be long before someone has beaten it but I was only beaten to the gold by 4 points and that, along with everything else just shows the work that has gone into my outdoor season is all falling into place.
Though the pain was high by the end of the day and Monday certainly saw me pay, I can say with certainty that I am currently feeling the joy that I felt back in my first outdoor season in 2018 is back and that is worth all of the work and effort. 2019 – 2023 were a rollercoaster of emotions and struggling to find new ways to shoot to allow me to continue. Definitely standby the care you should take in who you let into your circle, choose only the right voices to let into your head space.
A couple of possible outdoor competitions that I may take part in to spend time with friends and to maybe see if I can get the third bowman 1st class score, but I had marked this weekend as the official end to my outdoor season so I can say that on reflection I am incredibly happy and have enjoyed most of the season.
This week will see 2 new groups pick up bows for their first session so that will be fun and schools are settling back in this week after the return for the 2024/25 academic year.
Thank you to everyone who supported me from the beginning, who have joined me along the way, who have let me in to discuss what we might be able to do, who have trusted me to put a bow in their hands, helped them face change to stay shooting ……… the list of what I get to do is wide and varied and I love all of it, it’s hard work being the one in charge of my little business all alone, whilst working, being a parent to amazing young people, trying to shoot my own bow and also volunteering in non archery ways.
So, my time – it’s free always, I remain committed to not for profit, any money that comes in covers costs of storage and petrol for running around, anything left goes into delivering for a group, a project – whatever.
The people who work with me do a combination of paid and unpaid time, anything paid is predominantly paid directly to them, I make all the arrangements but it’s only rare that something comes to me to be passed on. In return for the paid work they do, almost all of the coaches then donate varing amounts of free time to Integr8archery CIC, no pressure from me about what or when but most give valuable time for which I am grateful. ☺️
I made the decision at the end of 2023 that I would reduce how many hours I was giving, 25-30 hours a week is a lot and there were a number of health issues happening with both myself and both of the children under the hospital. 2024 saw other issues in the family with health that added to this. Thank you from all of us to those of you who have supported us through all of that. Lots of positive news amongst all of that, still things going on but your support has meant so very much 🥰🤗
I don’t think it’s really going to be a surprise for me to say, not much changed, because I had announced a change in my time commitments it meant when I needed to post that there was going to be any delays (and I do always post on social media what’s happening and how long you might wait – usually a couple of days when I am on my working weekend), I can do it without feeling stress or guilt. Not everyone listens, some people push and can be rude 🤷♀️ I will not apologise for having a life! I nearly lost it 110 weeks ago!
So time –
2023/2024 for Integr8archery CIC I have given 987 hours of my time to this little provider of flying arrows 🥰
Total number of hours to other volunteering, including Archery GB, other sports related events, working with other CIC’s or groups focusing on the same goals as mine accessibility and inclusion – 226 hours 🥳
Total of volunteer hours for the year = 1213 hours – so that 112.5 hours less than my first year so my reduction on time to relax? Turned out to be a couple of hours a week 😂🫣
How many people have I had the pleasure to help put bows in their hands? I love these numbers – they are what keep me going on the hard days when I am wondering what I am doing or why I am doing it! I deliver or take part in as much as I can, the biggest exception is schools as I have coaches in a variety of places and I cannot be everywhere all of the time, I try to pop in occasionally and I am the project manager and the contact for all of them, meetings are less fun that delivering but anyone who has sat in a meeting with me knows that I am no less enthusiastic in those meetings than I am on the ranges 😂
Education – 852 individuals have picked up a bow, some once, many for numerous weeks.
Community Groups –
Broken down a little further to –
Youth – 305 which includes young carers, LGBTQIA+, Foster families, Community support and inclusion groups
Rimaya related sessions 192 individuals including the Northamptonshire Sport Together Fund supported sessions with Wellingborough Muslim Community
Seniors sessions – 86 individuals over the age of 68 years, awesome to see them smile in a new activity
Business Events – 138
Disability sessions – 89
Refuge confidence building sessions – 52
College sessions – 87
University Sessions – 72
A whopping total of 1873 individuals who have stood with a bow in their hands, some have had a taster, some shooting as part of ongoing groups, some moving onto local clubs, all enjoying whatever we have done and I continue to be inspired by the smiles I see. I love the moments when I see someone relax and understand what I tried to explain, that this sport that I love accepts everyone, it is adaptable and accessible and makes no judgement on anyone.
So the conferences – 6, meetings – 51, webinars – 23, training sessions – 12, the many catch ups over a coffee, all worth it even when I am shattered – 1.89 people have held a bow for every hour of time I have given to Integr8archery CIC!
So if we revisit the first anniversary blog and combine the first two years of Integr8archery CIC I am incredibly proud and humbled at what’s been achieved, thank you for joining me on this rollercoaster – why do I do it? If these blogs don’t answer that but especially the quarterly and annual numbers round ups, don’t explain it, then it’s surely the many, many smiles 😎
I am off for that coffee and a treat to celebrate, before a meeting this evening brings us all back firmly with our feet on the ground ☺️
I have had a couple of conversations this week which have made me think of a number of other conversations that I have had over the last 6 years. So since I have mulled it over and it’s still rattling in my head I thought I would share my thoughts.
If you know me then you know I have a number of issues that impact me, in archery but actually every day in life. Pain! Lots of it dictates my mobility and range of movement but I have spent my life ignoring it, pushing it to one side as I refuse to allow it to prevent me doing things.
In part this mindset is definitely how I was raised, I grew up surrounded by people who just got on with it, simply didn’t even mention their bad days.
If I had given in to pain I would have sat down as a toddler and stayed there 🤔
I have written blogs before about how my body deteriorating means I have to change or quit:
when this was first published the response took me by surprise, when it was re-published the same happened, I know I am not the only archer who has to face change to stay in the sport we love, but it’s not easy! Certainly helps to have support, particularly as people seem very happy to share their negative thoughts with me about my right to be on the range!
This indoor season saw me face new change! It never ends, if I want to keep one step ahead of my body then I have to keep re-thinking how to shoot and I am blessed that my physio friend and the county captain have never given up on me, though without a doubt they both have learned over the years that I am stubborn and crazy 🤪
My entire life has been about reaching goals and always, with anything, the biggest part is – be the best that I can be, I may not know what that means or how to measure or predict it, but with everything, work, school, sport ….. I have always been prepared to dig in and work, most of my achievements have been scrappy and fought for.
So spring 2018 I completed my beginners course with the belief that I could likely get 2 years out of my broken body. I made decisions and chose 4 competitions that I would enter for my first outdoor season as I set my sights on a 3rd class – classifications were really the only thing I could convince myself to judge myself on, when you start something new and have no clue what you are capable it, where do you start with your goals?
I entered a lot more competitions than I had planned and made it onto the county squad, I earned my second class and I was so upset! I had set my goal of a 3rd so that 2nd should have been amazing, but I had put in 2 1st class scores and a bunch that were just a few points each off 1st so instead of being happy I had achieved more than my goal I was upset that I only saw that I had failed on the 1st class!
Indoors was a new challenge and I wanted to use my outdoor achievements to set my indoor goal, but I was repeatedly advised it was the same at all so I was a little unsure but aimed to do my best! 2018/19 saw me get an F.
Outdoor 2019 – another 2nd! Along with the knowledge that the pain was seeing more and more competitions leave me crying on the floor as I often couldn’t move due to pain at the end of the day!
Indoor 19/20 – E, moving in the right direction but also sitting and agreeing to data gather as the stool was really looking unavoidable.
Outdoor 2020 – 2nd class, considering the Covid restrictions I was happy to get in enough scores to get anything, particularly as I was transitioning to seated. No, it’s not the same but sat!
Indoor 20/21 – D class, and I was learning to accept the stool and an agent, neither came easily!
Outdoor 2021 – finally settled with the stool 1st!! Amazing, hard work and determination and I finally had that little piece of shiny metal in my hand!
Indoor 21/22 – D – I was happy but really starting to want that C!
Outdoor 2022 – another 1st class!
This one felt massive, I had fought my mind, the destructive voices that had been out there by someone else, telling me over 7 months that I had no place, in the sport, in any role but anywhere else either. A summer that saw me almost quit life, I am forever grateful that someone reached in and saved me, and with a few others held on whilst I let go. They also convinced me that the sport I fought constantly to be part of might actually help save me. And it’s certainly why Dunster will always hold a very special place in my heart, as I sat there with 3 important ladies watching those longbows fling sticks and calm my brain.
Indoor 22/23 – C class! Amazing, and I had barely been able to shoot as I had put dad before everything, that little piece of bling felt special, I could hear his belief in me, he never gave up on me.
outdoor 2023 – new classifications, I had been part of the working group and had to listen to so many people complain 🫣
I wasn’t really sure what I was aiming for and decided to use the new and old tables together so I could reference something I did understand! Bowman 3rd class under the new which I felt was poor but wasn’t sure why, under the old system I had dropped back to C, devastated – dropped was the right phrase since I spent most of 2023 gradually lose the feeling in my hand, dropping everything, and either numb or in agony! Again changes and what to do for the best whilst waiting for hospital appointments!
indoor 23/24 – again new classifications so the decision to use old and new – bowman 3rd class old system C class! I am happy with this and it’s helped me accept summer 2023.
I started the indoor season with a PB in the Stafford and finished it with PB in Portsmouth and earned medals along with the Portsmouth 550 badge!
Here I sit, having planned numerous outdoor competitions for 2024 and we will see what my new way of shooting brings, will I get something decent! I am again going to use both new and old systems and this year I can also play on the 50+ class which will certainly help in the high pain days but I am going to enjoy it, that is what is important, can I keep smiling! If I can I get to stay in October, if it brings more tears than smiles then this will be my last season shooting.
Let’s see what happens – I am looking forward to the challenge.
It has all reminded me of conversations that I wasn’t good enough, and what was the point of my goals, they weren’t good enough either!
Well what I do know is this, the goals you set for yourself are the ones that matter, how you feel about your achievements is what matters! If you have a coach, and they tell you that your goal – to be the very best that you can be, isn’t good enough, then I would suggest that you need a different coach 🤗
Whatever your goals for the coming summer, I wish you the best, may your arrows fly strong ❤️🏹
Thank you to those who have stood by me, and helped me with each challenge that I have faced 🥰 you are all awesome and I have never taken any of you for granted.
Wow! It never doesn’t amaze me what I am achieving with my “little business” – I hear dad in my mind often and his supoort and chats were so important. I wish I could chat with him now 🤗
I said I was stepping back to concentrate on the issues we have going on outside of archery but I am still very happy with the number for this quarter, what a three months it’s been – in and outside of archery! 🤔 but I think things are a little more settled though there are still lots of hospital appointments as we try and get answers outside of sport.
Mostly this is just another thank you, thank you for supporting me, to the many of you who have respected my reduction in hours given, it does mean I don’t have to stop altogether if I can focus where I need to when I need to.
indoor season is over, I am happy with the little things that I have achieved but haven’t been able to focus on my shooting so that needs to change and I have booked in some competitions to get my motivation back.
So what has been achieved in this 3 months? Lots of meetings, the start of my role as vice chair of NFDS, and as for bows I hands?
Schools – 93 new hands but some returners too.
children in care – 8
disability groups – 19
along with helping 3 people return to the sport, met by chance but loving hearing how they are settling in the new spaces I have helped introduce them to.
For a period that I am sat back and doing less I am thrilled with those numbers.
As you know I keep track of my stats and what I am achieving to make sure it’s worth the many many hours given to everything that Integr8archery CIC was set up to achieve. I complete the weekly update and most weeks a midweek blog drop too to keep you in the loop. As you know the 6 and 12 months stages I updated with stats.
So here I am 18 months! A number of groups are continuing to work with us on a regular basis, frequency varies from group to group.
But today I am concentrating on new hands on bows from June 2023 – December 2023 –
Education including primary and secondary schools and colleges = 384 & 32 = 416
Children in foster care = 13
Community Groups = 81
Disability sessions = 36
The group sessions for those in refuge saw us work with 25 individuals and I am proud to say this period has included a group of men, having previously been just women.
So a total of 571 individuals picking up a bow – (inclusive of soft archery but mostly pointy) in the last 26 weeks
Also 4 archers who had stopped shooting feeling that they had no place in our sport have spent time chatting with me and are back regularly shooting.
Thank you to everyone who lets me share my passion for this sport that I love but also to the coaches who work it’s me, you are all amazing and between us there’s not much we cannot achieve.
I have also attended:
8 training sessions/courses,
9 webinars/seminars,
16 meetings
and 5 conferences.
I am excited for the very many things planned for 2024 and continue to be motivated by what is being achieved by Integr8archery CIC.
There’s lots to share with you all in the coming months and these figures only tell part of the story as you will soon see.
I hope that you have enjoyed the holiday season so far and wish you all a very happy 2024 and I do hope it’s filled with love and laughter for you all ❤️🏹🥂
I have tried to resist moving indoors, I have never liked it, always cling to drag out the end of outdoors but ultimately have to admit defeat and recognise everyone has gone inside for the winter.
I haven’t shot an arrow for 20 days as I sat and contemplated what the latest changes mean for my shooting. Ultimately it’s just about trying to keep shooting and I am grateful that there are people who will work with me but the last couple of weeks seems like various bits of my body are suddenly being recognised as issues in a variety of areas of my life and it’s been hard to listen to some of the conversations.
So I drew a line and said today would be it, get inside and shoot a scored round.
Rougher than usual couple of days PTSD wise and I lay awake at 2 this morning churning a variety of things over. Nightmares and bad sleep have been part of my life since 1996 so I am not unused to this but, the last couple of years have seen some serious issues and some days it’s just blooming hard work.
Off I went, got the kit set up and there we have it, despite thinking about it, I forgot to pick up the indoor arrows so had to shoot today with the outdoor arrows 🫣 if I had gone home I likely wouldn’t have come back out 🤔
Outdoors I have an agent but some times, indoors, if I am feeling strong and the pain is low I will collect my own arrows. Great idea, as I discovered that the wrist brace prevents me from pulling my arrows properly and after 3 ends had to admit defeat and ask someone to pull them for me! Those who know me well will have an idea how well I took this discovery! Feels like another kick! Thank you to Pete for the help today.
I decided to stick with the release aid fastened to me, frankly the mind was in no mood to start with the wrist release today 😬 only two shoulder spasms – easily spotted on the scorecard by the miss and the 1! But as through the summer the shoulder just struggles for stability so scores were somewhat erratic, pretty much a continuation of the outdoor season 😞🤷♀️ expected but there’s always hope.
Part way through a change in the surrounding environment saw my anxiety spike and I considered stopping but really did want a score to lay down the start of indoors and yes I know there will be a host of opinion around continuing versus quitting. So completed and not great but it’s done and I have lots to think about.
So, outdoor season I had set a goal, started well with 4 PB’s and enough to earn me the Bowman 3rd class, not what I wanted but as most of the season I earned archer 3rd or 2nd class scores, it’s all I can claim.
It doesn’t matter what happened as I physically broke down, it’s disappointing. Particularly as I had worked hard in the previous 5 outdoor seasons, had achieved my hard fought 1st class in 2021 and then maintained it in 2022 despite being so mentally unwell. I spent the 2023 season constantly comparing the scores into the old classifications as the first year in the new system gave me no information.
The indoor season will be the same, scores put into the new system but I will use the old system for me to compare. Interestingly the indoor table shows comparable old v new but I am glad I used the tables from the old system as it gave me different information.
Today I shot a Stafford, I believe I have done one before but I have no record so it was clearly in the app that saw me loose all of my information. I scored 566.
In the new classifications this is an indoor archer 2 according to the archery calculator. The tables provided by AGB show an indoor archer 2 is the same as an old G. However this is incorrect as 566 was an E! And interestingly another 11 points would have moved me to a D but the archery calculator shows no change!
So my advice? If you want to compare do it yourself 🤗 because today I got an E class score which is a long way from last years C classification I earned but it’s no G!
So, indoors I am, but I will do my own work as I go about changing to hopefully get me back outdoors next year.
In March I sat down and set my goals for the outdoor season.
Taking into account that 2018, 2019, 2020 I got a second class, 2021 finally my first and after an awful, torrid 2022 ground out another first. Knowing that where I had been in 2021 was gone for me, but the terror of 2022 was being dealt with and that mentally I had safe spaces I set those goals and looked forward to the summer.
One that would see me enjoy the whole week at Dunster and volunteer for AGB along with starting a new, amazing job.
Knowing that I hadn’t barely had an indoor season as I devoted my time to family and particularly dad’s last weeks but had, in those few occasions I had picked up my bow achieved a C class – my best ever indoor classification. I signed up to AGB’s #great arrow count and set off to see what summer would bring.
Well initially I achieved 4 personal bests in different rounds and 2 x bowman 3rd class scores – decent start I felt.
Then my shoulder started to grumble and over the next few weeks that grumbling got louder. The issue with my hands but especially my right hand, that I had been having for 6/7 years and had been gradually deteriorating suddenly, rapidly becoming a huge issue. So my shooting fell apart, no matter as I set about asking questions and looking for answers whilst carrying on, scores didn’t matter at all, smiling with a bow in my hand certainly did! Then of course we have those vocal folks who believe their opinion matters! That my scores are so appalling I have no right to be on the shooting line! Well huge raspberries to you and your opinions because your knowledge of me is zilch so you don’t have an opinion that I need!
So the great arrow count is done – 26 weeks and I have shot 15,669 arrows. Not as many as I planned. But 60% of my aim back in March. A combination of 19 scored rounds or competitions in target archery, approximately 2/3 of what I had intended. None of the 3 flight completions I had intended to attend. A combination of the new job, shifts, health and family commitments and the responsibilities I now have with dad gone impacting these aims.
Plans made with work and family to help me resolve the time issues and of course huge plans to work my backside off over indoors with bow, new release aid and pretty much a new way of shooting for me to continue to be on the shooting line and get ready for outdoors 2024.
Desperately disappointed in my classification but also happy to still be shooting at all. There has been a constant theme since I signed up to my beginners course in 2018 that I should not bother and I should quit. Thankfully I am possibly one of the most stubborn and bloody minded folks or I would certainly have quit on many occasions!
So I have one more outdoor competition in a few weeks and then indoors it will be to learn my new way forward! Planning ahead for what the possible surgeries might mean and two further steps in case the issues with my hand/arm/elbow deteriorate further and further again. Like me the county captain is a planner! 🙃
I thoroughly enjoyed this weekend – scored round stood up on Saturday and shooting the county champs Sunday morning followed by agenting Sunday afternoon, all done with amazing company 🥰
Thank you as ever to those who support me in continuing to hold my bow – forever grateful 🤗
Blown away by the words of friendship from three different people in 3 different places this weekend – always strange to hear positive thoughts about me and how I am perceived by people who have opinions I value and they had made those thoughts public!
A photo sent to me Sunday evening that, for me, truly showed me how far I have come from 16th May 2022 – wow 🤩
Lots coming this weekend and I will explain as we go through the week, for now, I am off to bed 😴🫣
For those of you who have been here from the beginning you may have noticed the date! 52 weeks in a year right? So that would make today the day! 365 days – yes? So that would make tomorrow the day 😜 but as you know I do my end of week blogs on Tuesday and a midweek blog on Saturday. So please forgive me – I’m using the 52 weeks for my celebrating 🥳
A small group of people woke up 52 weeks ago to a message that I had been up all night with paper scattered all over the floor making lists of pros and cons and planning and the decision had been firmly made that I was sticking with my sport, as an archer, with my projects, getting it out there to new people but also continuing to work with those already in the sport who faced changes of various kinds to stay with the sport. After months of various people telling me I could, I had heard the message the evening before and decided he and all the others offering to support me might be right, I had been doing this for years before I collaborated and I could do it going forward without those collaborations too.
So I needed to set up a business, quickly and move forward with the world understanding who I am and what I wanted to do, but first I needed a name – we had sorted it between us within 3 hours, a logo was next – I had that by tea time! A plan, I had created that in the middle of the night. A website started the following day, a Facebook page, instagram ………. an announcement to the world! What a first week! Community Interest Company – non profit – status granted, terms firmly set. An archery club – a committee and away we went!
6 months allowed me to reveal amazing stats, available because in January 2021 I started to keep stats on my hours as a response to criticism about why a person would volunteer and not do all of these things for profit. Stats on the projects were easy as I had been keeping those for years.
Those figures were seen by my dad, my weekly voice of reality in those 6 months as I started Integr8Archery a week after his diagnosis and the news he only had a few months left. Those conversations were a break for us both from the conversations about his illness, his treatment and the information we had about what his wishes were and what a future without him might be. I was proud he saw those figures, he was proud of what I had achieved in those 6 months. A week later – as I was writing my 27 weeks blog, I was sat chatting to him knowing there was very little time left, but he had wanted to know everything and so we shared the writing of that blog just hours before he lost his fight. I want him here to see what I have to share today, he isn’t, but I know what he would say, because he shared his thoughts and I hear him daily 🤗
So, my 2 a week blogs have kept you up to date with events and plans.
52 weeks in Numbers –
52 weeks = 1085 hours of my time given, for free to Integr8Archery! For every 1 hour there has been a bow in the new hands of 1.9 people! So many sustainable groups along with one off sessions or short term groups. Community groups that strive to include everyone – to hit my aims for equality, inclusion, diversity and accessibility.
“ changing lives through archery”
But what else, we know I don’t just give my time to Integr8Archery.
I have given 206.5 hours of my time to Archery GB to volunteer as part of the competition workforce. I shoot and I love competitions and whilst I am only ever interested in what I am doing, comparing myself only with myself, I know competitions only happen because of volunteers – give it a go! It’s by far the best blue shirt there is, to wear amongst a great volunteer family.
I have also given 34 hours to other things, such as marshalling, I use other sports to help me stay grounded, mix with others. It certainly helps with my headspace to keep my circle wider than my sport, one that I love, but one where I was taken to my knees.
So, that’s 1325.5 hours of my time given as a volunteer across sports. 25.4 hours a week! That’s on top of my very demanding day job, my family and friends and my own shooting. I don’t sleep, we know that, what else would I do with my time 😂🫣🤷♀️ I mean we get 168 hours in a week, how do you spend yours 🙃
Thank you to my family, friends, club committee and every coach or ear/shoulder of support from 28/6/22 to date.
It blows my mind that just 6 weeks prior to that I was sat in A&E because I found myself in a place that meant I could only see one answer, simply not to be here at all! Well if I had succeeded that day over 2000 people are unlikely to have picked up a bow!
Seriously though, I have been asked why I share what’s happening with my mental health? Why? Because it might just help even 1 person and if it does that’s what matters.
In the autumn I was formally diagnosed with PTSD, see why it’s relevant that today – my year is also PTSD awareness day!
My mental health has been an issue since 1996 and the trauma that changed everything, over the years it’s created a number of issues and I do share about them. I have had a number of ways to deal with that and learn methods to handle the issues that I face and live with. However from November 2021 to June 2022 someone set about destroying those methods leaving me in a darker place, with my grounding and management techniques removed – coping was unlikely.
My counsellor is amazing, without a doubt a focus has helped and here I sit, with these amazing numbers to show as a result of that focus.
I have tried new things, we’re still learning how to replace what I had taken. I do know that if you look at how relaxed I am on the range, shooting, smiling on arrival and departure – wow, look at the change from the fear and the tears of 2022. Thank you for the support and hugs and patience that I was shown and to the clubs who now give me safe space where I know my mind can calm.
There have been happenings in the last couple of weeks that have made me stumble and I can say that I am about to embark on another new step, having signed up to a programme with The Frank Bruno Foundation. I will let you know how it goes.
I sit here with a list of planned events, new ideas bouncing around even just Monday 26/6/23 seeing communications starting around some possible VI work and new sustainable sessions. Exciting things to come in the second year of Integr8Archery CIC. I am proud of what I have achieved so far and excited about what is to come. You are welcome to continue to join me – the 2 blogs a week will continue for those who are interested. Saturday will give you a little more information about how those numbers I have quoted here breakdown.
Today? Eat cake and raise a cuppa with me 🥳
See you all soon, it is a privilege to be allowed to be a part of what our sport can give to those who pick up a bow ❤️🏹 thank you 🥰
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.
Yesterday was a perfect example of why I love doing what I do. A meeting with Northamptonshire Sport and Wellingborough Muslim Community to finalise the plans for our start archery event on the 8th May and the 3 planned sessions afterwards for those who want to participate after the event.
The next cuppa and catch up with the Children’s Coaching Collaborative and it was another great conversation around the voice, choice, journey. Sharing thoughts and ideas with like minded individuals is always motivating and multi sport environments is a great reminder that we are all trying to reach the same goals.
If you recall the blog I did at 26 weeks as my first 6 months round up you will remember I provided a bunch of stats and figures. If you didn’t see it if you type 26 weeks in the search box it’ll bring it up for you.
So what has the last 13 weeks held? Obviously on a personal scale the loss of my dad overshadows absolutely everything else and I miss our weekly chats about what I am doing with Integr8Archery.
On a personal archery note I had cancelled my indoor season to allow family to be priority but I have managed to pick up my bow and shoot and with some practise and scored rounds I have managed to achieve a C classification. My 5th indoor season and something that I have never before managed!! I am really happy with that – let’s be honest if we round up the 5 years I have been shooting – struggling with pain, having to become a seated archer, covid and whatever we describe the last 17 months as, the battle to shoot has been tough but at the moment my shooting seems to be settled, consistent and at the moment, the strongest it’s ever been.
What about Integr8Archery?
Well the club has its school partnership to allow shooting on weekends and planning is happening for the competitions we will host and a number of community activities.
It was fantastic to see the DISC group have their first archery session several years since the bows were last picked up, this was also the first session delivered by 2 coaches coming on board to help Integr8Archery achieve it’s goals.
Lots of meetings, several new groups looking to see what we might be able to accomplish together.
The education project has seen an additional 63 children pick up a bow and try our sport and today the children who are part of the archery club at Wrenn school will be receiving the first certificates awarded from the Integr8Archery progression scheme that we have created. Incredibly proud of what they have achieved.
Thank you for all of your support so far, see you on a range soon.
