Located in South Ayrshire, Ayr Archery Club has been running for over 50 years and was established to promote and develop the sport of archery through beginner’s courses and organising community events. Archery is a sport that is accessible for everyone across all ages and abilities and is a great sport to get involved with when looking to try something new.
Thanks to the National Lottery Awards for All Fund, the club was recently awarded funding to establish a project that delivered free come and try sessions and events for members of their local community. The project is mainly aimed at building a community within the club and expanding community relationships, as well as increasing participation in the sport of archery.
Craig Paterson, of Ayr Archery Club said, “Archery is a great fun and inclusive activity to get involved with, and is a perfect sport for anyone wanting to try something new, whether it be on their own or with friends and family. ''Even if you have never picked up a bow before, I have no doubt that everyone loves the sense of achievement when the arrow hits the target for the first time.’’
An important part of the club is their collaboration with South Ayrshire Active Schools, as this provides the opportunity to enhance the link between school archery and the local archery club(s). By working together with schools, the project encourages the transfer of skills gained at school level into a natural progression into an archery club, as well as enhancing new members confidence and self-esteem levels.
Ayr Archery has been collaborating with the local council in many ways through this particular project; offering both children from local schools and families from community groups, who may not have considered archery as a sport or family activity. Many of them have come away for their taster sessions, having developed basic skills and great interest in the sport.
As well as their own club come and try sessions, Ayr Archery Club have engaged with the UK wide ‘Big Weekend of Archery’ event, where adults and children of all ages are encouraged to come along and be part of this fun and inclusive sport. The event allows participants to try many different styles of shooting, including, soft archery for younger children, as well as clout and target shooting demonstrations. Throughout the year the club supports a number of other community events and groups, from Armed Forces Day, Holy Fair and Girl Guiding / Scout groups.
Through the accessibility of archery as a sport, the club continues to work with community groups identified through SIMD (Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation) to promote access to a new sport and work within those communities to promote the grassroots opportunities.
Alan Martin, Pathways Manager at Scottish Archery, said: ''Archery is one of the most inclusive sports and can be a great way to bring the community together. ''Clubs like Ayr do extremely valuable work and provide people in their community with a sense of belonging within the club, this has a positive impact on their mental and physical health.''
Archery is a fun and inclusive activity and offers everyone the opportunity to experience something different, develop the skills and keep active, all while meeting new people and having fun.
Find out more
About archery opportunities in your area from Scottish Archery
