On Saturday 20th April 2024, Nottinghamshire Archery Society hosted its first Ladies Event. Over 30 Ladies attended the event from 9 clubs across the county. The atmosphere was buzzing!!! The event started with a chilly breeze so bows were setup in the clubhouse while hot drinks and biscuits were shared. Luckily, the weather broke as shooting began, the wind dropped and even the sun made an appearance!!! Target lists were drawn up for the first 8 ends of shooting, with archers from different clubs on each target. Up and down the line, conversations were had from why archers began shooting, seeking advice on what competitions to enter and when the next ladies’ event was running!!! A common theme though was the surprise that there were so many female archers across the county. The ability on the field was varied from the county squad archers to those who have only shot for a few months. By the end of session, archers were attempting further distances than they had shot before, seeking advice about their bow style and everyone seemed generally lifted by the positive atmosphere on the field.

These are just a few of the feedback quotes from the event….

“A great booster for us ladies to take to the comps”

“Really enjoyed the event and meeting so many people”

“It’s been a lovely relaxing event and I look forward to the next one”

However, as with running these competitions, a lot of support goes on behind the scenes and on the day. It would not have been such a successful event without the continued support of Jane and Mark Burton, the advice of Carrie Mortimore and the support of Steve Attwood. A massive thank you to Nottinghamshire Archery Society for their sponsorship of the event and the Sherwood Archers’ field party!!! It is certainly looking like this is, hopefully, the first of many Ladies Events that will be seen in Nottinghamshire.

Lizzie, Vicechair of Nottinghamshire Archery Society