A long day today and my back is screaming so an early shower and pjs to end my volunteering at competition day 1 of JNOC. Later arrival than planned for Friday didn’t see me get chance to do much work yesterday but did give me chance to sit and catch up with the friends who are my competition family after dinner.
What can I say about this week so far? I am blown away! By the response and messages to my celebration of the 1st birthday of Integr8Archery and the post by Northamptonshire Sports.
Several meetings including the latest Children’s Coaching Collaborative, coffee and catch up, the first following the launch of the play their way campaign. A couple of meetings set with contacts from here so it will be interesting to see what they lead to. Very much on my mind today as I dealt with tears on the range, and coaches behaving badly!
The latest magazine is a packed edition and looks fabulous, and you might recognise mention of a CIC in there and some photos of some of us! 😜
Hope your weekend is going well, back out at Lilleshall tomorrow so off to rest and see what I can do with my back.
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 🥰
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 ❤️🏹🥰
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 🥰🏹❤️
So what’s been happening this week? Lots of meetings! Planning and some great things coming which I will be announcing from next week, but inclusion, health, disability and more schools news are all in there as you would likely suspect.
I have had time to process the decisions I had to make last week and come to terms with having to hand it all over to the correct people and they are dealing with it all going forward, whilst sad it reached that point I mostly felt numb for a few days but now it feels lighter, I can concentrate on what I am doing and the aims I have for Integr8Archery and my projects. Thank you to those who reached out and supported me, knowing the decisions I made would not have been easy for me.
I always thank those who work with me on any projects and that shall continue, I am not happy that some people have asked not to be thanked publicly as they get to be made to feel bad for working with me, particularly strange when the person in question who is creating that is still working at some of the locations that I invited them into as part of the education project! So they can do it but others can’t? Interesting theory!
I have been asked to share my knowledge with other people doing similar things, some in archery and a couple in other grassroots sports, I always enjoy sharing ideas and trying to cut down those early planning stages, being involved in the long run isn’t necessary in all cases and some people keep me in touch with how they are getting on, always lovely to hear. So many people across so many sports trying to achieve the same things and by working together we can achieve more. Celebrating and supporting each other is all that we should be doing not trying to bring each other down or refuse to share knowledge.
I have actually found a little bit of time to do some planning for my own shooting this week too! 😱😂❤️🏹
This coming weekend will be packed with my own arrows so that will be great for my headspace.
Enjoy your week and I look forward to seeing some of you on the range soon. Take care of yourselves please.
When I consider where I was last year, mentally, emotionally and how very close I was to giving up everything from my sport to living it’s amazing to me as I sit here reviewing the first 12 months of Integr8Archery and what I have achieved.
Years of working hard for my sport and the belief in what can be done as long as I choose the right people for each event to get the very best I can. No longer settling and risking a poor set up, rather saying no than getting it wrong. That’s huge in itself being brave enough not to risk my reputation by saying no, it’s a pleasure to not have to some times wince or apologise because I sent the wrong person. One of the most beautiful things I have heard and how often I have heard it – thank you for getting this/these people to deliver for us! The core values of a service user matched with a service provider – makes the event so much smoother and I am blessed that this means the coach to mentor roles work so much more naturally by getting it right first time.
A long week of squeezing in meetings to review and plan, setting and adjusting aims and targets for each group. Closing some as the self sustaining fledge with the knowledge that they can send a message when they need to. It’s not sad as we step back, rather a sense of pride that we have given them the skills to flourish. Reassurance to a couple that had expected to be moved on by now but haven’t – we can still achieve it.
I was brave enough to open my project book from spring 2022, wow – how many of those plans have I achieved! Those I haven’t- why? I am ok with the reasonings – not my losses actually 🤷♀️ and I don’t regret that I made plans that someone other than me threw away.
Luckily the relationships I had built to create those opportunities are not lost, in some cases from friendships many, many years old – so I am grateful that open and frank dialogue has allowed some things to be closed and others to remain future possibilities if I am ever brave enough to take giant leaps. Who knows maybe my passport will see me become a frequent flyer 🫣😉
One of the greatest privileges was definitely being allowed to sit at the table and help source new recipient’s for the large donations for the fund, I stood by my belief that it didn’t feel right to accept any of that for Integr8Archery and whilst it would definitely have made my projects fly, I am thrilled to hear from people who have benefited – what may be a loss to grassroots archery has definitely been a gain for others.
So the coming week or 2 will see more meetings take place around the day job and I am grateful that my hoodies can hide a multitude of things 😂😂 as I chase around from A to B to C and so on.
I am also immensely proud of 3 young people who I have been supporting for significant periods of time in my role as safeguarding officer, wellbeing is such an important part of this and to be trusted to be part of a person’s team/network of support is humbling but anyone who knows me also knows how very seriously I take this, safeguarding is one of the most important responsibilities we all have.
So as we swiftly approach 1 year!! Thank you and see you soon ❤️🏹
As you will be aware from the information that I published I signed up to the Children’s Coaching Collaborative last autumn. This year the Child-First Coaching Coffee Catch Ups began. These sessions are for anyone who’s signed up to join together at the sessions as and when they can, to discuss important topics but over a virtual coffee session, the sessions are kept to an hour per session to allow people to fit them into busy schedules.
I find these particularly interesting as it is one of the initiatives that I am involved in that sees people from many sports come together and discuss common issues and share ideas.
The has been a very strong theme throughout – voice, choice and journey. Very much linked with the theme behind any good coach around listening to and coaching the individual.
As a coach this is of huge importance but also in my safeguarding role this is a massive issue. A large amount of my time is taken when voice and choice are removed. Surely something that we should all have taken from the publication of the Whyte report and the subsequent reform 25. Do not sit complacently believing that issues are only in other sports, there are examples of issues across all sports. It is with these in mind that I was interested in the Children’s Coaching Collaborative.
Today the next step is launched – Play Their Way. Please see above my statement that Integr8Archery CIC has signed up to the movement and I would ask you to take the time to consider signing up yourself as a coach but also your organisation and lead those you work with to look at joining too.
This week’s meetings and reviews, which I frequently complete on my projects and with the coaches and groups we deliver to, are about safeguarding and delivering the right service, in the right way to help achieve the goals. This is what the Children’s Coaching Collaborative and other groups that I am part of are aiming to achieve across all levels of all sports.
So fat this has been a busy week of reviewing projects, predominantly schools but others too. It’s an important part of the process to see how we are getting on with the aims and targets that were originally laid out and how these may have evolved.
As Integr8Archery is essentially one person, me, I am blessed to have a group of coaches who work with me and I carefully select who is appropriate for a group, event or project. I cannot be in all places at all times and I rely on good communication between myself and the coaches and also myself and the representative of any group. These meetings are therefore especially important for me to ensure that we maintain that communication and continue to work together.
There are processes that need to be followed and steps that need to be taken to put on sessions and keep everyone safe, they may not always be obvious or seem unnecessary but they are there for a reason. Meetings are a great way of explaining what is needed and why.
So this weeks meetings have been a chance to celebrate success and discuss room for improvement and ensure we are all still working for the same aims. As ever lots of work comes out of these but, it’s looking like some exciting things ahead for many of the projects.
As I am fast approaching the first year of Integr8Archery I also started collating data I keep to be able to share the achievements, I am glad I did as there were a couple of things this week that again pushed me to consider what and why I am doing this, if I needed a reason, motivation, those stats have definitely helped give me a boost and I am blown away by what has been achieved, I look forward to sharing the information in a few weeks. Keeping stats and figures was important to me from the start as I am doing things a little differently and I get challenged by those who don’t like change and I knew I would benefit from seeing numbers as I am an evidenced based creature.
Anyways I have a session to go to now that I am quite excited about and I will tell you more about it in Tuesday’s blog drop.
Apologies for this being a day late, whilst at work yesterday, as my shift was ending a colleague who was coming on duty took a call regarding a family bereavement and I stayed to do his double shift, I am out of the house this morning but then back for my own rota’d 25 hour shift, as you know mine is not a job that we simply can’t cover.
Take care and enjoy your shooting, catch you on a range soon, Helen
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.
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.
