Start Archery Week: planning tips from Norton Archers

Start Archery Week will take place 14-22 May 2022, a nationwide celebration of all things archery. In the fourth of our weekly club stories about last year's event, Norton Archers share some of their plans.

We're highlighting previous Big Weekend/Start Archery Week events that have enjoyed fantastic success. If you're hoping to help your club organise Start Archery Week in May, and are not sure where to start, look out for these best practice case studies, right up until Start Archery Week begins.

Engagement tips

As part of Start Archery Week, Norton Archers looked at ways to engage people waiting their turn to try out the sport during the event. Throughout the planning process, the club ensured members' ideas are heard and acted upon where possible - they believe this helps provide an all-round inclusive experience, and leads to some great creative solutions!

As a result, Norton Archers will present these ideas for Start Archery Week:

• Showcase the 70m Olympic distance using a tactile sight
• A visually impaired archer will give demo shots
• Photographs on all the targets, demonstrating the club's fun and competitive sides
• Experienced members will talk through different bow styles
• A team of volunteers will support coaches delivering the ‘have a go' sessions
• Volunteers for the event will also include junior members to help give a family feel - the club like to emphasise their ‘family club' environment
• Provide raffle tickets which helps hold people's interest while they wait for their turn to shoot
• An Arrows kit is put out for smaller juniors to use, which adults sometimes like to use too!
• Tombola
• A cake stall with refreshments

Club representative, Nicola McCullogh, said: Â"One of the things we've found about the Big Weekend (now Start Archery Week) is that it attracts ex-members back to the club because they feel able to come along to an open day-type event. We ensure that we have people available to talk to them about rejoining, too.”

Will your club celebrate Start Archery Week?

Please visit our dedicated Start Archery Week webpage for a host of resources, advice and to find out how to enter a range of exciting competitions with fantastic prizes!