STAY HOME, STAY SAFE AND PROTECT THE NHS

Welcome to May, one month into the outdoor shooting season and not an arrow shot in anger. I am finding it difficult to find anything positive to say, it is difficult to gauge the atmosphere at the moment. So that I do not become to repetitive the next edition will be on the first of July, this coincides with the end of WA & AGB lockdown. Hopefully will have something to report then with regard to club shooting with distancing in mine. Although if anything drastically changes, we will be on it.

I would like again to send the counties gratitude to all NHS staff and key workers, especially those within our county. It must be hard for you and your families at this time, but it is much appreciated. Although most of us are locked up, it is easy compared to what you are doing. Like many of our county archers, I too have close family members working in the NHS and Fire brigade and one has been affected by this virus, thankfully they recovered.

As in my last “news from the chair”, I hope all club committees are keeping in touch with their members and keeping archery on everyones minds, it should keep the insanity at bay. Again, if there are any problems please contact me or Mike Thomason. We cannot promise a fix but maybe we could be of help.

So far, we have missed three tournaments in the county due to cancellation. Belvoir WA720, Bingham Western and Greasley League /Oregon. I was looking forward to shooting nearly all the counties tournaments this year, although I did imagine I shot them in my head, weather was excellent, bacon butties were cheap and my score, well what can I say, phenomenal. I can not see tournaments being allowed until a vaccine is available as it would be a mini mass gathering. I would propose that, if club shooting is allowed to resume an ontarget approach may be one way of having an inter club competition in the county (I just thought of that), to finish the season off.

AGB NEWS

A video conference was held between AGB and all regions, including Northern Ireland and Scotland, the minutes of which have been put on the Nottinghamshire Archery web site for your perusal. The high lights that concern Nottinghamshire are.

• All tournaments have officially been cancelled to the end of June at the moment, I can see this being extended.
• AGB are working on plans to open up club shooting with social distancing in mind, this will be useful when the government allow small club sports.
• Sorry to say there will be no AGB affiliation refund or discount for next year but there will be no increase as was planned.

EMAS & NAS NEWS

Both the region and the county have agreed that affiliation fees due at the beginning of October will be wavered for the 20/21 season for all existing members. It is only a little, but every bit helps.

Plans are already underway for next years shooting season with the Cancelled record status shoots being rescheduled with AGB and the calendar starting to fill up. Of course, if it is possible to start the competition season again, I hope that clubs will fire up their competitions for the brave souls. If not, then maybe some impromptu turn up, pay and shoot tournaments. I have a feeling that a lot of the older club members might give it a miss.

Some good news,

I would like to congratulate Wilford Bowmen Juniors who are winners of the Archery GB’s Ontarget Young Peoples Award 2020. Well done all involved, I suspect mostly due to Steve and Charlotte Attwood.

Finally, I would ask all Archers of Nottingham Archery Society to stick with us and their sport during this time, it will come to an end. We will be back on that shooting line, laughing and taking the micky out of our dear friends. Hope to see you all soon.

Bernie Dicks

Chairman