Any thought of a quiet time due to the impact of the Covid Virus has been so far away from the reality, once again our volunteer workforce is being tested and again is more than measuring up to the challenges!
Taking time to share some of what is happening is worth the effort to show that our sport is very much alive and kicking, so here is a summary of what is happening at Deer Park Archers!
Last week we held a 3D Field Selection Shoot which supported over 50 archers to safely compete around a 24 target course.
This weekend we hosted a World Record Status 720 & H2H event, limited to just 9 targets and 36 archers by COVID rules, this was a great success despite high gusting winds.
Over the next few weeks the main part of our all weather surfaces will be completed along with boss illumination facilities allowing us to shoot using the covered shooting area in the evenings and the full range during the daytime through the year!
Following a very active membership renewal campaign 180 members have renewed!
Two influencing factors were highlighted during the renewal activity, firstly the new outdoor year round facilities being developed at our ground together with the arrangements in place to accommodate indoor shooting. Secondly the lengths the club went to, to maintain communication and engagement during the most difficult times of lockdown and the quality of shooting provision on the return to shooting programmes!
Our field course has undergone major works and is now looking amazing, we have now completed our mini summer league and will commence our mini winter league in due course.
This weekend saw the start of indoor shooting at Balcarras, complying with all the indoor rules, despite the restrictions we are still able to offer 30 lanes, at 18m for 1.5 hour bookings on a full weekend.
Next week, we will also be able to offer booking of 4 Indoor lanes in our clubhouse at the same time as 9 further covered shooting area floodlit lanes.
None of this would be possible without our volunteers, so another big thank you to them! To keep our ground at the highest standards we run regular volunteer days (booked in online) and our men-in-sheds group become more irreplaceable by the day!
The short mat bowls section has been meeting for some time and is flourishing within the permitted guidelines for indoor activities.
24 beginners recently started their courses and we have the longest waiting list for many years, well organised, outdoor, non contact sport seems to be a re-occurring theme!
With the current situation and the very active programmes we are running, we have just formed a sub-committee to look at H&S across the club, whilst the processes are all in place, we believe we need to develop a wider culture where everyone accepts responsibility for health and safety, not just those responsible for putting the processes together!
