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Get Into Archery With Wymondham Archers

Pete Hill Published: 05 July 2024

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Man pulling arrows out of archery board

I write to update your lovely magazine readers about just how far Wymondham Archers has come in just over a decade in existence. You may already know we began our life in the Green Dragon in Wymondham with a few men chatting over the 2012 Olympics (what a great Olympics that was), one of whom was an Archer. Buoyed up by the Sporting spectacle before them on the pub TV along with maybe a little Dutch courage, one of them suggested they start an Archery Club. I joined that Club when I came to Norfolk in 2015 (a great year for me). I was recently retired from the Fire Service, but had been Chair of an Archery Club in Hertfordshire before my wife and I moved.

Wymondham Archers is an extraordinary Club. Not just in what we do or even how we go about our effort. All this is coupled with the distance we have come as a volunteer led Archery Club. We are volunteers to the core, not one of us is paid for what we do for Archery. We now have made some wonderful partnerships with Wymondham Rugby Football Club (an extraordinary organisation - Chaired by Mr Paul Wootton) and the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association; where we have created an indoor facility, open from September to May each year.

At Wymondham Archers, we 'Say "Yes" to Archery', a mantra I believe came about when, embarrassingly, I was getting rather excited at a meeting when I said something like, "If we are not saying "Yes" to Archery then we don't do it." One of our fabulous committee members picked up on it, teased me remorselessly later. But it stuck; we use it all the time.

A typical Archery Club in the UK has around 50 members. Wymondham Archers is one of the largest Clubs in the UK with well over 300 Archers (325 as I write this). We attract many Archers from around Wymondham, Norwich, Norfolk and surrounding Counties who come to us because of how we run our club and our facilities. We are inexpensive, taking into account the access our Archers have to Archery. One of our stalwart Archers commented sometime ago, that we have "Caviar Archery, for Fish Fingers prices."

Our membership is broad and eclectic. Our youngest Archer is 8, our oldest is 90 years of age. Our oldest Archer is also blind in one eye having been shot in the face with an arrow, as a kid, when in the Scouts - can you believe that? In 2022 Wymondham Archers won the Archery GB Community Club of the year. Something we were humbled to receive.

With our growing numbers of Archers I created, laughably, a data sheet that is visible on our website, I call Wymondham Archers Big Data. Our growth over the last few years can be seen there, but of course it isn't the whole story. We attract many families with around 50% of our membership belonging to a family group - we love this, Archery is truly something that whole families can take part in. We run beginners courses all the year around; we encourage everyone to have a go at Archery (8-100+ years of age). Along with this you'll see with our data that we also attract many women.

Archers at sunset

Getting and retaining women and girls in sport is so very difficult; but Archery is very much a pick up and put down kind of sport, with the pressures of growing up, education, work, family it can be difficult to hold on to something that brings a little sparkle... Wymondham Archers can do that. Boys, Girls, Men and Women of all ages quickly get into and thoroughly enjoy being at Wymondham Archers, Archery Range at Wymondham Rugby Football Club.

Our Ranges are very busy, with our huge membership. Although I hasten to say, it's only huge in terms of Archery. Other sports attract far more members, but I suspect that's only because Archery has, in the past, been rather inaccessible. Now as I’ve said, we run beginners courses for novice Archers all year round. Over the Winter this last year we ran more than 60 courses (see our website https://www.wymondhamarchers.co.uk/). Over the Summer months our bookings already stretch into and through August. And, once part of Wymondham Archers access to our facilities is all day, everyday; if you want it.

Wymondham Archers has raised thousands of pounds for Nelson's Journey over recent years with something we termed Shoot to the Moon. It's a very simple task. All we need to do is shoot (one metre equalling one kilometre) sufficient arrows to get to the moon. In the first year we managed it, but last year we managed to shoot all the way, and back again; it's a hoot, shooting a bow as far as you can, across beautiful fields. Last year was particularly touching also, due to one of our Archers having lost a son in law, when Nelson's Journey stepped in and supported the family through a very difficult time.

We host tournaments from time to time also. Challenging other Clubs and Archers to attend. Our last Winter tournament was held at Easton College, Easton (indoors) where we were fully booked out for our World Archery Status tournament held over two days. A super success, very hard work but rewarding to see all those Archers taking part in something of such high status.

Behind the scenes a heap of work is undertaken by a group of folk who rock up regularly to service targets, paint lines on our field, to tidy up and a load more. Hours are spent, often by people of a certain age who give their time tirelessly. For me, that means coaching on a Monday and a Wednesday afternoon and evening as well as on a Saturday morning. Other coaches support the effort on Wednesdays and Saturdays with one coach (our only remaining founder member) spending his free time for the Club teaching beginners on Thursday evenings. The volunteers that help at Wymondham Archers, I believe, far outstrip that national average of volunteering time.

One of the huge benefits of being part of Wymondham Archers is our connection with each other. Our Archers come to us from all walks of life and yet the pace of our activity means we can get to know each other whilst enjoying the ambience of open space, or a sheltered indoor range. So many of us struggle with our health yet Archery can help us by pulling us together, to be around other people; coupled with gentle walking, lifting weights - the pulling/pushing on bows, or moving targets, making up equipment, helping others. These drivers bring a vibrancy to our members' lives. It's a joy to be around.

People doing archery

Joining our Club is easy. Our website has two large click through buttons, for Summer or Winter; (currently closed) taking the new Archer to our booking pages. From there, before they know it, our new Archer is in front of one of either me, or one of our lovely coaches, being shown the ropes. All the kit a trainee Archer needs is provided on our courses. Most of the Archers who attend our courses join us. I believe the transition rate is currently around 70% of those who start a course, becoming members. We make it easy to join, using direct debit payments - with an adult paying less than £20 per month. This equates to just over £200 per year, a junior around £80, for all year round access to Archery.

Once with us, there is plenty of opportunity to come along to enjoy the spaces we use. We offer continuing coaching as part of the membership with access to any and all of our events.

People come and go in Archery, that's one of the great things about it. We have many Archers who have had to stop due to work or family pressures; to return later, to pick up where they left off. Bouncing back from serious events can be challenging. For example we have one Archer who lost a leg while serving in the RAF comes to us regularly and is currently working towards national squad status. But there are others also. One chap turned up on his first session of his beginners course with a zimmer frame in his car, informing me that he can't walk. Now that Archer walks regularly up and down our ranges, is working on our Archery progression scheme and messages me from time to time updating me on his achievements. We have many Archers with mobility issues and a good few with long term conditions. We are very happy to see these wonderful Archers with us.

But people don't always have issues that are visible. Our Archers come to us because it is a safe place. They can be who they want to be and they can do that safely with Wymondham Archers. Some of our Archers struggle hugely with their mental health, they can turn up, shoot and leave. Some like to do that. Our Autistic kids like quiet times, and so come along then.

In those quiet times when I reflect on what we provide I am truly touched by the people who not only choose to use our Archery Club for themselves but also do so very much for the benefit of others.

I cannot tell you how grateful I am to those people who work on our committee. There are 16 of them. Each plays a key part, each has effectively become part and parcel of this super thing we call Wymondham Archers. Building our website, writing policy, providing advice, help with sponsorship and more. And alongside these we have our coaches and our group we call 'Helpers at Wymondham Archers'. These are the teams that we call on for 'field party work'. They don't necessarily want to be thrust into the melee of committee life but are happy to give us time to fix things, move things, manage the set up of tournaments and a heap more. Each of these lovely people I talk about form part of a series of single points of failure... if they weren't there, it wouldn't happen. None of it. They are crucial. All part of 'A Crucial Crew'. They are wonderful.

I ask myself a question from time to time, in that what am I leaving behind for others when I pop off to pastures new. Churchill once said that we'll only be remembered in books. He might have had a point. But what about leaving somewhere that people can go and just 'Be'. Archery can do that. If there really was a legacy that I might be able to leave, it'd be a permanent Archery solution for Norfolk and the surrounding counties. By 'Saying "Yes to Archery', Wymondham Archers just might be able to do that. We are making plans for a permanent Indoor Archery Range and recognise that a community space might be just the thing for Norfolk to set, bringing together sports where we don't have to pass the ball.

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