Tag Archives: EFAA

Aug 8 2014

Some sad news – passing of Roy Bickerstaffe

This week I received some sad news from my old clubs (Black Arrow) chairman Kevin Bunting, concerning the passing of a well know archer and fellow club member Roy Bickerstaffe.

Kevin has put these words together and asked I share them with the wider archery community.

Roy Bickerstaffe - perfect style

Roy Bickerstaffe – perfect style

It is my sad duty to advise you of the death of Roy Bickerstaffe after a short period of rapidly declining health. Roy started the ‘Derby Carriage and Wagon Welfare Archery Section’ in March 1965 (was this the longest archery club name ever?)

Roy shot both target and field in those days and was very proficient in both, swapping with apparent ease between the classic target ‘Freestyle’ and ‘Heavy Tackle’ as Hunting Tackle was originally known.

Roy involved himself in all aspects of the sport: administration, coaching and, of course, shooting.
 
In 1970 the BFAA merged with the EFAA and soon Field Archery as we had known it was changing and not for the best.  Roy with a few others decided that enough was enough and with the hindsight afforded by their experience of the BFAA and the benefits of a clean sheet of paper, founded the NFAS in 1973. This gave field archers the wonderful opportunity to again engage with the sport as they wanted.  True, the NFAS migrated down a path they may have strayed somewhat from Roy’s vision but there is not a single true field archer that does not owe Roy and his band of merry men and women a debt of gratitude for what we all enjoy today.
 
Roy could talk for hours on a wide range of subjects and frequently did and there are many who have missed appointments, meals, loved ones and sleep as they tried without success to prompt an end to the dialogue or rather, monologue.  But one thing is for sure….that all who benefited from time with Roy was the richer for it.
I’d like to pass on my condolences to all the Bickerstaffe family. Though I only met Roy a couple of times when I first started shooting as Kevin says he had a wealth of experience that he was always willing to share.
Thank you, Roy  for all the work and effort you  made to a hobby I have the privilege to enjoy.
Thank you for reading.
Mar 31 2013

Finding help

Happy Easter everyone, I hope you have all had your fill of easter eggs and festivities.

Recently Jordan wrote on her blog site  (http://jordansequillion.wordpress.com/2013/03/22/getting-information/) an article on organisations and societies for the newbie, that’s inspired me to do something similar for the UK.

I can’t list every club in the UK but I can point you towards some useful websites so here goes a few.

nfasNFAS – National Field Archery Society –  http://www.nfas.net/

UK based organisation, which we shoot in most months, there is a good list of clubs and if you want you can find a shoot every weekend.

 

efaaEFAA – English Field Archery Association – http://www.efaafieldarcher.com/ Thought I was a member briefly I have never had the opportunity to shoot under the EFAA banner but know many people who do.

 

archerygbArchery GB – http://www.archerygb.org/ As the sites says Archery GB is the governing body for sports archery in the Great Britain and Ireland.

Another useful site is the Archery Interchange, http://www.archeryinterchange.com/ with its extensive forums offering advice on all things archery related.

AIUK-Logo-small

Thanks for reading and I hope you find this useful.

Jan 14 2013

What is a club, more than a place to shoot!

No I’m not talking golf, this an archery blog after all.

I believe a club is far more than somewhere you turn up once or maybe twice a week, shoot a few arrows and maybe chat with other archers.

Clubs are made up of groups of individuals with a common interest, archery. How they approach these interests will also be individual but it is a common interest. If you have either been involved with any club or organisation you will know there are always a few characters in every club.

One thing to remember in any or all clubs, no matter its size, needs the support from members.

So far in our archery life we have been actively involved with 2 clubs (Black Arrow and Artemis both being Derbyshire based) With moving house last July we have left these two behind and joined Severn Valley. That is not to say we have forgotten about them. I still get emails and calls from colleagues at these clubs to swap notes and ask advice.

Like people clubs have their own personality and characteristics. Some might be very traditional, favouring traditional style bows, other clubs might be competitive, or interested in new styles of bows or the latest compound gadget and sight, but they are all there to support the archer.

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Black Arrow  is a small club with a small but very challenging course on a hillside. If you want to learn how to shoot up, down or across a hillside its a great proving ground. Largely a wooden arrow club with many fine longbow and recurve archers.

forestfloor-artemis

Artemis based not far from Belper, might be familiar to EFAA archers as they have both a NFAS course and EFAA course. Artemis are also well-known on the circuit having run a few shoots and laying a course at national championships.

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So the new club  to us is Severn Valley, one of the oldest field archery clubs in the UK. It is due to celebrate its 60th anniversary later this year.autumn-shooting01

Likewise membership of a club is commitment by the individual to the club and supporting its activities, whether those activities be running shoots, laying courses, running have a go sessions at country fates or shows, or doing the hard work down the wood repairing target bosses, digging in steps, clearing snow in the winter, clearing undergrowth in the summer.

BAFAC workday

Club need members to help out

Charles blog has a recent entry on how individuals efforts can support a club or a shoot.

So if you are a member of club may I suggest that you make a new years resolution that you do your best to support your club and its executive body.

Thanks for reading.