Sunday 12th July 2015 – Official opening of our ground.
Thanks to our team of volunteers everything was ready to celebrate our formal opening of our ground. VIP guests had been invited, our ground prepared, the field course was ready to use, club target day organised and refreshments planned. In addition our target day trophies were unveiled, our wind sock flown, commemorative plaques arranged and large tents erected.
Following a 20 minute delay for torrential rain proceedings kicked off with more than 50 members competing in a range of Warwicks.
Two details of archers, our biggest club shoot so far!
Our new sound system was put into use with music between ends by our new presenter DJ Sammy!
The prize for each bow type was an amazing trophy that one of our members Colin Baker had fashioned over the past few months and words cannot describe the final product, very blustery conditions made the competition a good challenge.
Colin Baker – Trophy Maker Extraordinaire!
As there was such a wide range of participants, a panel of 3 independent judges reviewed the results to arrive at a winner for each bow category, our congratulations go to:
David Millar – Longbow
Ella Gibson – Joint Winner Recurve
Ryan Brewer – Joint Winner Recurve
Holly Clifford – Winner Compound (Trophy under construction).
Jack Brewer – Barebow
Groundsman Award – A nice surprise!
Roger Crang – Delighted!
Steve Howse our Chairman opened formal proceedings with a review of our achievements to date and events that had led to our purchase of the ground and the team effort that had made it possible.
Steve Howse – Chairman
The ground was formally opened by Kevan Blackadder (now Manager Cheltenham Business Partnership) who as Editor in Charge at that time of the local newspapers had played such a key role in providing front page coverage of our need to find a new home.
Kevan Blackadder – Great supporter of the Club.
Unveiling of a commemorative plaque and cutting of a cake brought proceedings to a conclusion, a day that was indeed special!
Club Cake.
Thank you to all our VIP guests that took the time to share our special day and to again to our many volunteers that made the day possible.
A further plaque was unveiled to recognise the support that the Environmental Trust have provided to allow us to install drainage to the playing surface to allow all year round use and access for everyone. Work will begin this week.
Guests and members were given tours around our very impressive field course, complete with 3D’s and it offers some much further potential for development that it will play a key role in shaping our future.
A fantastic field course!
There was a couple of display boards that captured the key milestones of our ground development plan, incredible achievements yes, but we must not lose sight of the hard work ahead and the challenges we face.
No time off, coaches meeting the following evening to agree strategy for providing sustainable coaching support at all levels for members including deciding a programme for developing further coaches.
