Frequently Asked
Questions
I’ve never done
archery before, can I still join?
Of course!
We welcome all prospective new members, experienced or
beginners. We
run an instruction
course for all new beginners which comprises 3 or 4 training
sessions
over 3-4
weeks. Each session lasts around 2 hours. This course
will give each candidate all the basic
skills they
require and most importantly all the safety training necessary to enjoy
archery. A training course of this type is often compulsory if you wish
to join an
archery club
but taking this course with Fenland Archery will enable you to join any
Archery GB affiliated club in the UK. This course costs £50.00 for
adults and £30.00 for
juniors
(under 18 years of age). If you join the club within 4 weeks of
completion of
the course then part of the course fee (£10 – seniors, £5 – juniors)
will be deducted
from the membership fee. Please note that completion of the beginners
course does not guarantee acceptance of any future membership
application. There may be exceptional instances where the club will not
be a good fit for you or vice-versa.
These courses are
run several times a year, according to demand.
Unlike some other clubs, these courses are run by our Archery GB
licensed coaches. Whether you choose to learn archery at our
club or not, it is always advisable to ensure that you are being
instructed by licensed coaches. Your safety is paramount - ask to see
their certificates if
necessary.
Within two to
three months of completion of
any beginners’ course, new archers are normally expected to have
purchased
their own equipment. If you decide to join Fenland Archery Club one of
our more
experienced archers and licensed coaches will advise you in purchasing
your
first bow
from a reputable archery supplier. We cannot stress the following
enough: please, please do not be tempted into buying
equipment
from the internet. It will probably prove to be a costly mistake
financially and may result in injury if inappropriate for your needs.
If you decide to buy second hand kit, then it is always worth ensuring
that it is not on the Perris Archery stolen
kit
register.
Fenland
Archery Club have a comprehensive range of training
bows
of
all
types
which
are
maintained
to
ensure
suitability for these courses. Subject to availability, these bows may
typically be used free of charge for up
to two
months after any of the beginners courses.
I’m not
sure if
archery is for me, can I try it first?
Subject to
availability of personnel and time, the club is happy for you to have a
go at archery before committing
to our course.
We may give you a supervised session by arrangement through a
committee
member. Due to the popularity of these sessions a small nominal fee may
be
charged, and at certain times of the year we may not be able to conduct
a session ahead of a scheduled beginners course. Pre-arranged sessions
will normally be run outdoors at noon on a Saturday.
Other 'Have-a-Go' sessions are run throughout the year on an
ad-hoc
basis. It
is important that you
confirm
your
attendance at least 24 hours ahead of the scheduled
attendance. Please remember; all coaches are volunteers, archery is
their hobby too, and it causes disruption to sessions if you let us
down, or turn up unannounced. You
will receive advice on appropriate clothing, footwear, jewellery and
piercings etc. ahead of your
session. If you do not turn up for a pre-arranged session, we reserve
the right to refuse to rearrange a session. Unfortunately we do not
cater for drop in visitors.
Groups
interested in arranging a 'Have-a-Go' session should contact
the club
chairman or secretary.
Please note that safety is paramount, and therefore we reserve the right to remove from the course, without refund, anyone who does not follow the safety proceedures or who acts in an irresponsible way at any time during shooting sessions or not following instructions while handling the equipment.
In the first
instance, you should contact the club secretary to
discuss a
possible trial session or access to the beginners course. You will be
required
to provide some personal information when applying to join the
club/course and must declare any conditions that may impact upon your
ability to safely participate in archery. Under 18s must be accompanied
by a parent at all times.
I am an
experienced archer, what do I need to
do to join?
How much does the beginners course cost?
£50 for
adults & £30 for juniors (under 18 years old)
paid by cheque in advance
- see above for more details. Please note that we plan our
courses in advance, therefore you must confirm your wish to attend the
course in advance of the first session as resources will be allocated
according to confirmed numbers. We do not accept prospective members
who have not confirmed their attendance on the course in advance.
Will I
need my own
bow to join?
Not at all.
Archery equipment is generally specifically tailored to
the
archer and it is important to understand your archery style before you
purchase
your first bow. We therefore provide all the equipment you require to
get
started. Once you’ve completed your beginners course you may continue
to utilise
the club’s kit for up to 2-3 months while you decide upon the best bow
for your
needs. We have suitable recurve, compound and english longbows that you
can try. Once a member, it is always worth asking around as other club
member may have kit to sell. We do not recommend the purchase of bows
from on-line auction sites.
What will it cost me to buy my own equipment?
This is a
difficult question to answer. It all depends on what you wish to get
out of the sport and what bow style(s) you choose to pursue. Basic
recurve equipment can be bought from around £200 - £250 for everything
you need to get started. Most people will end up buying recurve
equipment in the intermediate cost bracket i.e. £500 approx. but be warned archery can
be highly addictive and many archers will succumb to the temptation of
buying the latest and greatest new kit, therefore it is safe to assume
that archery is as expensive a hobby as you wish it to be. Longbow
costs vary enormously according to bowyer, wood type, bow construction
etc. We do not encourage people to go straight to compound
archery as archers will experience many changes in their form in the
first year and it can be a very expensive to buy several new bows or
have your bow adjusted to meet changing requirements. Our licensed
coaches will be happy to guide you in your equipment selection. Is there an age restriction when joining the club?
None at all.
We accept juniors from 8 years old as long as they are
accompanied by an adult at all times and can safely cope with the
physical aspects of shooting a bow. The decision on the ability to
shoot safely will be taken by our experienced coaches. Although we will
make every effort to accomodate juniors and will provide low poundage
bows, we will not allow juniors to take part in archery if they cannnot
safely handle the bow weights. There is no upper age limit,
however you will require a basic degree of physical fitness. There are
no physical barriers to participation and out coaches can help you
select the most appropriate equipment for your needs.
Under no
circumstances will unaccompanied
juniors (under 18) be permitted
to
attend club
sessions. We insist upon a parent or
legal guardian being physically present on the range at all times.
What happens once I join the club?
All new members are accepted on a probationary period subject to
acceptance by the committee. All members are required to adhere to the
GNAS rules of shooting, club rules and any rules prescribed by our host
school. Membership may be withdrawn at any time during the probationary
period if serious transgressions of the GNAS rules of shooting, club
rules and any rules prescribed by our host school occur.You will be given
a temporary membership
card (valid for up to 6 months)
while your permanent membership is processed by Archery GB. You will be
free to shoot at any of our club sessions on payment of the appropriate
session fees and compete at competitions
within the UK on presentation of your valid membership card. Our
licensed
club coaches
are available to help you develop your
shooting ability and we encourage you to approach them for any
assistance you may require.Parents or
legal guardians accompanying juniors under the age of 16 will be
expected to assist with range set-up/putting away of equipment.
Yes, all our licensed club coaches and key members of our committee hold enhanced CRB clearance certificates. The club complies with Archery GB policy on the Protection of Children & Vulnerable Adults. Our CRB cleared members will not take responsibility for unaccompanied juniors.
Are your licensed coaches available to work with all archers?
Yes, all our licensed club coaches are active as part of the local, county and regional coaching structure. Our coaches are constantly improving their knowledge and ability to deliver best coaching practice through attendance of Archery UK, Community Sports Partnership, Sports England and other official sporting body events. They are all committed to continuous professional development as part of the renewal process for the coaching license. Please note that our coaches are volunteers and are also active archers to are in the sport to enjoy their own shooting too. While our coaches are always willing to help, they will make their own decisions on who to work with or when they are available to coach.
Are you able to assist people with disabilities who have an interest in archery?
Yes, Disability is rarely a barrier to participation in archery. The club makes all reasonable efforts to encourage & assist members with disabilities. Our range at Sir Harry Smiths Community College has disabled access and toilet facilities. Our licensed coaches have received training in assisting individuals with a wide variety of disabilities and have access to specialist advice if required. We encourage you to contact the committee in advance if you wish to discuss any aspect of how a disability may impact on your ability to participate in archery.
How much
does it
cost to join?
Adult membership
is currently £72 per annum including insurance and
affiliation fees to the county, regional and national archery bodies.
Membership fees renewals are payable by the first week in September.
Can I attend your club sessions and competitions if
I do not have an Archery GB (GNAS) card?
No! For insurance
reasons, we must be sure that you are a current
Archery GB (GNAS) member if you wish to shoot at our club, therefore we
require you to produce a current valid archery GB membership card. In
the absence of a valid membership card, you may be required to complete
our beginners course and join the club before we allow you to shoot.
Your
club secretary will be able to provide you with a temporary membership
card that must be presented if you wish to shoot at our club.
Beginners
who are registered on our courses are insured for the
duration of the course.