Quick catch up

I have no idea where time flies, I recall being very younger and my nan telling me that as you get older time goes faster, well at 50 years old it’s zooming by which is a worry as I might blink and wake up 60!

Winter is certainly approaching with frosty mornings and that winter sun which can be beautiful but difficult when driving so be careful out there please, dashing to find time to shoot with reduced daylight hours means we don’t always plan and take care like we might otherwise do.

I have been sending emails all over the place so hopefully no one is waiting on anything and I haven’t missed anything 🤞🏻 but if I have please do send me a reminder and I will do my best to reply asap.

I haven’t shot a great deal but managed to get my first score in for the virtual archery league, not great but considering how little I have shot this year, not as bad as it could have been.

The new paid job is definitely proving to have been the right choice and my work life balance is certainly returning thankfully and helped hugely with organising my time and getting back on track.

Ongoing projects, mainly around school and out of school educated young people, nursing homes and community groups that I work with regularly.

One of which is my ladies in refuge who are always amazing finding yourself in that situation is often scary, stressful and overwhelming and it is hard getting to know new people whilst going through something which is often very traumatic. Sport is a great way of being in a space and doing something with other people without really feeling the pressure of having to make small talk. Well done to everyone who steps into a new environment but this group is my focus this week as we saw the beginning of the annual 16 days of activism against violence against girls and women. This year’s the police have used this to launch their #itdoesmatter and looking in particular at non contact sexual offending to encourage people to report incidents.

As always I attended the Northampton reclaim the night march which was on 28/11/25, these are held all over the world and may vary on dates but usually held within the 16 days. Always especially emotional when the names of women and girls killed in the last 12 months are read out 😞

I have had some emails and calls because some people have heard that I have made a statement of possible intention to step away from the NGB and not renew my membership with AGB on the 1/10/26. This is no small decision and announcing it has allowed me to have some open and honest conversations and if there were to be some very real ability to see change was intended I may stay but I am not sure 10 months is long enough for that.

However what is important is that Integr8archery CIC will continue regardless of my decision and I have looked into how best to do that and plans are in place so please don’t worry, if I deliver for or with you now this will not be impacted. I am passionate about what a difference sport can make in someone’s life and this issues doesn’t change my belief in that.

For anyone going to the indoor nationals I shall be there Friday to Sunday and will happily chat, catch up and cheerlead for you so as always, stay in touch and find me if you want me 🥰

Take care and see you on a range soon 🤗❤️🏹

1st October always see the beginning of a new archery year, I know lots of people who have been discussing should they stay or leave the NGB, in some cases as individuals and in some cases club committees wondering if the club should leave.

These can become heated and I understand both sides of the arguments, I can see positives to stay and reasons to leave as an individual and/or club and for me if you are in charge of a club I think the most important thing is to be sure to listen to your members as their voice is key to any decisions that a club makes and they should never be disregarded. It is sometimes difficult to make everyone happy but committees must ensure that you are always listening.

This of course then raises the question of if a club leaves AGB do they join another governing body, where is the best place to seek insurance and should they become hybrid, ensuring that whatever you do covers everyone at all times.

whatever you chose to do, I hope it works best for you and you have found the right way to ensure you enjoy your archery. I do think it’s a conversation that will continue to have significant conversations for at least the next couple of years as people continue to navigate what their clubs and members want, my advice, speak to those who have already made decisions and see how they are getting on following any changes.

For me it’s been a chance to assess where I see myself shooting most of my arrows when I have time to practise and having left WOAC for the second time in January, I had signed up to AOR for the outdoor season. However I have made the decision that for 25/26 Targetcraft Archers is the best fit for regular sessions along with my usual time with friends at LBAC, Towcester, Bowmen of Glen and if possible Kestrels. I enjoy the opportunity to shoot in space that I am comfortable and spending time with friends and this is my best plan for the new archery year.

At the AGM on 1/10 I have taken on the role of junior representative and also stepped into the 2nd safeguarding officer position. I have sent out my first email, an introduction to the juniors and their families and have started to create a plan for the next 12 months. Hopefully I will advocate for the juniors and help them get what they want from their club. Early feedback is positive.

Whilst I am away this week I shall be contacting various people to get dates confirmed in the calendar, I have started this morning with the judging opportunities that are being offered for the coming year.

Enjoy the next year and whatever it may bring and see you all soon ❤️🏹

I do not know how time moves so quickly!

I have managed to carve out some time from everything else to shoot some arrows of my own though which is always good, particularly when the weather has been so very beautiful this week.

Sad that a project I have delivered to for almost the full life of Integr8archery CIC has come to an end, I understand the thinking but it’s been somewhere that I love going to and I have spent time with amazing people and I have seen some young people thrive with a bow in their hands. I wish everyone at DISC and Northamptonshire Carers all the very best as they launch their second location to allow new people to join in their activities.

I have seen the best and worst of people this week in my work and my sport and it reminds me that not everyone follows the belief that we should do things in the right way and that we should be kind. It’s not ok to annihilate a person on social media under the guise of raising awareness, mental health matters and no one has the right to crush another person just because they are upset. There are processes and ways of doing things and even if you want to make something public, do it in the right manner, in this case your issues are with an organisation but you have made it incredibly personal for those that have woken up to find the posts on social media. Not ok!

Next week is another stats sharing week as I will hit another quarter and I am going to plan my calendar for the coming summer as I intend to enjoy shooting my bow and catching up with friends whilst doing some judging. Here’s to some fun this summer.

have a good weekend, spring is officially here so bring on the outdoor season 🥰🌷

It’s ok to change plans, to look after yourself first, in fact it’s something that you should do!
sometimes it can make you feel guilty for cancelling a plan, not doing something for someone else and you can limit the explanation that you give, they don’t have a right to know everything all of the time. You have the right to put yourself first and it’s ok to say that!

Lots of work this week and some meetings fitting in around shifts, loved the productivity of the NCAS meeting and the enthusiasm of doing the best for the county. Like minded people together can always achieve so much.

safeguarding has played a big part in my time over the last few weeks and it does mean that some things have had to wait but anyone who knows me understands that safeguarding is the absolute first priority so I don’t apologise for this!

A quick check in on projects is showing that things are going well and there are lots of people, predominantly school children having fun with arrows. As the weather is picking up other groups will come back on line over the next few weeks and I am looking forward to catching up with the amazing folks at DISC this coming weekend, I love these sessions.

over the next couple of weeks I have a chunk of annual leave and will be catching up on lots of things and I have plans for shooting and attending a wedding! Lots of catching up with friends too, so hopefully by the 12/3/25 everyone waiting for anything should have what they want from me 🙃

enjoy the weekend and do let me know how you are doing, I enjoy hearing your news.

Some great shooting time this week on the practise range and in competition, after several weeks of nursing recovery and dealing with the behaviours of others, being forced to step away from a club for my own mental health, it has felt amazing!

lots arranged for the coming weeks from shooting to delivering to new and existing projects, judging and pretty much most things archery related.

safeguarding matters have been taking up time which I will always give but at the moment a lot of it seems to be simply about not being mindful of others, really no excuse for it, we don’t all have to be friends but we can just respect each other.

very busy with work and studying and I am enjoying some of it, maybe not all of it!

along with a couple of really interesting volunteer roles that have come my way and I love the idea of both, but in reality I have to spend some time planning my time to see if I could make anything work, I cannot do something and not give it my best.

Busy weekend coming up with some extra shifts to help out at work and some shooting planned. Whatever you are doing, enjoy it and have fun.

Not very much I can put in here for this week but I have been busy!

Safeguarding meetings, training and a bit of archery and catching up with friends whilst taking a young person to watch some competition ❤️🏹

I am completing my final classroom days of my Advanced Child Sexual Exploitation Practitioner course and so focusing on the assignments and preparing for my presentation on Thursday.
I have completed the Safegaurding in a Digital World course with iNeqe as part of my course and this seems particularly fitting considering that today is safer internet day.

I have some dates in my judging calendar and that is making me smile! Very much looking forward to getting it all underway.

Some meetings this week to start making some plans for a couple of new projects that sound very exciting, small groups of people who think there’s no activity for them, restricted by different things, I do love sharing activity with them and seeing them enjoy it.

See you all soon, who knows I might even get the chance to ring my bow and shoot!

I always love the opportunity to shoot with my children, and I have received some great photos of Rose and I from our session with friends on Saturday 🥰🏹

I have spent the week planning, planning, planning. Some groups that stopped for the winter looking to restart in spring, I cannot wait to catch up with the people I haven’t seen for the winter months and hear how they all are. Added to that new groups that haven’t shot before – always exciting. Meetings to discuss new ideas for getting people active who think that sport is out of their reach, always gets me excited.

Now that I have been given the all clear to pick up my bow again, myself and a group of like minded friends we consider to be family have made long term plans to shoot regularly and we had a great time on Saturday. We were even joined by a surprise friend who was back at the field following a period of health issues, great to see him well and shooting.

I had a lovely night out with friends at AOR, always nice to have the chance to spend social time with archers and chat off the field.

This week has seen lots of support for Team Sharpe from friends across the county and beyond after several weeks of issues saw us, as a family, step down from a number of volunteer positions at a club, sad and certainly not how we had wanted things to turn out, but what will be, will be.

I have completed my Contextual Safeguarding- taking it forward course, with the Ivison Trust, another great session spent with like minded individuals who all have the same interests in keeping young people safe in today’s world.

Safeguarding – if you know me at all you know how very important this is to me. As a safeguarding officer I currently have 12 cases/complaints that I am dealing with, some are low level and the urge to bang heads together can be significant. However I have a significant case that I have been dealing with for several years, and there is light at the end of the tunnel, I can see things happening, if safeguarding guidance changes it might feel inconvenient but I know it’s due to change being needed and if you haven’t seen anything then be grateful for that, do not become part of the problem.

I have 2 dates in my judging calendar, both exciting and nervous at the same time but very much looking forward to them.

This coming weekend is my weekend for working so as you know I will not be able to reply to most things until Monday, next week is my last week of classroom days for the Advanced Child Sexual Exploitation Practitioners course and so will again restrict the amount of availability I have but I think you will understand why I think this it’s important.

Have a good week and I do love hearing what you are all getting up to ❤️🏹

This week has been busy, busy, my weekend of working followed by a week of classroom studying for my level 4 Advanced Child Sexual Exploitation Practioner! Hard work and intense as you would expect with a course of this level and the topic, but at the beginning of 2023 I set out to complete courses that would give me qualifications to support my skills, knowledge and experience. The group of cohorts on my course and the fantastic tutors leading it definitely make it a fantastic learning experience.

I have had a couple of meetings for county and region to discuss ongoing issues and again, always a pleasure to catch up with fellow safeguarding/welfare officers and chairs.

Not much shooting done again! Not great news considering that I have a competition on Sunday! 🫣 but I have had some issues with my back so I am just going to go, shoot and enjoy seeing friends and let the arrows do whatever they do.

The next 2 days will see me at lilleshall standing in for the region so I won’t be about much. I think all of the emails and messages have been answered except a couple which are asking for dates as we all pull together our calendars and arrange events.

Stay safe, enjoy your shooting and see you on a range soon.