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Notice of New Subscription Fees Following the AGM on 18 April 2009 the fees listed below were agreed until further notice: Direct Member (Senior) £43 Direct Member (Junior) £42 Direct Member Overseas £50 Club Member (Senior) £35 Club Member (Junior) £21 University Club (en bloc) £110 Junior Club (en bloc) £50 School Club (en bloc) £50 School Archery (Progress Scheme en bloc) £50 Clubs for Archers with Disabilities £0.00
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The benefits of archery are many - but ultimately it's fun, and it's good for your health! Want to take up archery, but need to know more first? Well, hopefully this article will provide some useful guidance, as GB performance manager Barry Eley passes on some tips about getting started in the increasingly popular and most ancient of sports... With all the talk of 2012 and the Olympics in London, and though there are many people who take up archery to be competitive, it would be easy to lose sight of the fact that many people enter the sport for the social side! "Archery is THE family sport, and some people get into it because their kids take it up, and vice versa," says Barry Eley, the Great Britain Elite Squad Performance Manager. "It's the one sport where everyone of all ages and abilities can line up together and take part, and that is one of it's big attractions. "Others take up archery because they have had to stop doing other sports through injury or age, when they found, like me, that they couldn't keep up with the youngsters on the football pitch any more." Archery in Britain is run by the sport's national governing body, the GNAS, which is based at Lilleshall, near Newport, Shropshire. All clubs come under the GNAS umbrella, and all members are also registered members of GNAS (membership is just under 31,744 - record levels). The British elite squad are very competitive at international level - Alison Williamson won a bronze medal at the Athens Olympics, and reached the first ever World Cup Final last year. But for every Alison Williamson, there are thousands of archers who take up the sport for fun. Eley says the best advice he can give a novice is to enrol on a beginners course at a recognised local club. "Apart from learning archery, safety and etiquette are also very important, and our coaches guide all beginners on such issues," he said. And if you want to be good enough to compete in competitions, rather than just shoot socially? "Make sure you put as much effort into your general strength and conditioning as you do to your archery practice, to prevent injuries and ensure you can handle your bow efficiently through out practice and events," he said. And there are benefits to your overall health too, according to Eley: "Benefits in life long fitness and cardiovascular fitness if you do the sport properly - many Clubs boast about the age of their members and their fitness levels. "But do be careful before you start doing archery regularly. Many people will take up the sport as they don’t have to run or keep fit, but in order to shoot any bow you need to have the muscle strength in the upper and lower body. Ignoring general fitness and not keeping your muscles toned can lead to injuries around the shoulder and collar joints. Incorrect shooting technique can lead to wrist and finger joints and ligaments being inflamed and sore. "And when you work up to competitions it’s good to remember that most men or women will walk 5 miles and pull the equivalent of 5 tons over the length of the day’s competition and many competitions are two day events so general fitness is good to have." The essential equipment to become an archer is a bow, arrows, a chest guard and a finger guard. Says Eley: "Like all sports, these can cost from as little as £60 for a starter kit, to up to £3000 for the Olympic archers equipment. "When you do a beginners course - normally six one hour lessons - your club coach will ensure you get exactly what you need, and advise accordingly, as all equipment should fit the archers size and strength, and not be just what a salesman would sell you - thought most retailers work with local clubs, and the GNAS and would tell you to join a club first anyway." The rules and etiquette of archery make it as safe a sport as there is. Says Eley: "It's safe because every one in the sport has to abide by the rules. My best tip is to enjoy yourself, and be considerate of your fellow club members. You'll make lots of friends, and you'll find everyone is very helpful." The GNAS website (www.gnas.org) list all the clubs throughout the country, so you can look for one in any given area. And if you do not see one, then ring the GNAS office on 01952 677 888. The website has links to clubs, counties and regions, the archery in schools association plus other sites you either want or need to visit. Technical information can be found in several sections on the site particularly in the performance section.
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Interested in Membership?
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Anyone interested in starting/learning archery please look through ‘Find Your Local Club’, or contact the Grand National Archery Society (GNAS), for details of their nearest clubs.
With over 1,100 clubs in the UK, there will be one not too far away. To find your local club click on the map. Some clubs specialise in particular types of archery such as 'Target' or ‘Field’ and many have access to indoor facilities over the winter season for practising and shooting in competition at closer distances.
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Instruction Almost all clubs in the United Kingdom are able to arrange a course of six introductory lessons, which cover a basic understanding of technique and disciplines for shooting in safety and with relative accuracy. Most courses will be organised and supervised by qualified GNAS coaches.
Any instruction organised by a GNAS affiliated club that follows recognised procedures is covered by the Society's public liability insurance policy. A charge may be levied for the course of six lessons and nearly always includes the use of basic equipment. Equipment By far, the greatest number of archers choose to shoot the ‘Recurve’ bow, the modern version of the traditional Longbow. Rapid technological developments over the last few years have led to an increasing popularity with the 'Compound' bow, distinguished by its much shorter length, pulley wheels, cables and telescopic sights.
The GNAS also recognises Crossbow Archery, which has become a distinctive, specialist discipline with its own rules and objectives.
Although wooden arrows are still shot by some archers, usually those who shoot the traditional longbow most arrows are produced from aluminium, carbon or a combination of both. They are extremely light and vary considerably in price depending on their toughness or durability. Costs For those entering the sport for the first time, archery equipment can prove expensive and disappointing if purchased without the guidance of a qualified coach or experienced archer. It is recommended that a six weeks beginner's course be completed using the equipment provided, before considering any major purchase.
However, as a guide, the cost of basic equipment (Bow, arrows, arm guard, finger tab, quiver etc), will be approximately £100- £300. Second hand equipment can represent a significant saving but should always be considered only after an inspection by an experienced archer,
On joining an archery club, new members will be asked to pay an annual subscription, which varies from club to club. The fee will be used to fund any club expenses, and is also used to pay affiliation fees to the County and Regional Associations, together with the principle fee going to the National Governing Body (GNAS). The total outlay is relatively inexpensive compared to many sports. An annual cost of £100.00 for an adult member is about average, with reduced fees for juniors. Sometimes a club will offer a reduction for family membership.
Apart from archery equipment, the only other major consideration is the GNAS requirement to wear traditional green and/or white clothing or Club Colours when participating in some archery tournaments. These are not expensive specialised 'uniforms' but standard garments obtainable from both archery shops or high street stores. Club colours are now an alternative form of clothing at archery tournaments. Tournaments Numerous outdoor and indoor tournaments throughout the year are an important part of the sport for those of a more competitive nature. Nevertheless club and recreational archery is just as Important for people who find they have little time for any serious commitment, though still enjoy 'shooting arrows' with friends, family or colleagues in the familiar surroundings of their club.
Archery is also one of the few sports that is enjoyed with few compromises by people with most types of disability. Special guidance and instruction is available, even for the visually impaired. It is not uncommon to see disabled archers sometimes in wheelchairs, shooting alongside their able bodied friends on the same tournament shooting line. The Grand National Archery Society The GNAS is the recognised Governing Body for all forms of archery in the United Kingdom and is currently responsible for approximately 30,000 members. The GNAS is affiliated to the International Archery Federation (FITA) and is a member of the British Olympic Association. UKSport and Home Nation Sports Council are also involved, generously providing valuable assistance with the Society's long term plans. By virtue of these affiliations and memberships, archery is represented in the Olympic Games, World and European Championships and other international events. The GNAS is also responsible for its own National Tournaments, usually organised and hosted by leading archery clubs or groups. Benefits Of Membership - Provided that the Rules of Shooting and Constitution of the GNAS are adhered to, archers and clubs are covered by the Society's public liability insurance policy.
- The Society has one of the best coaching organisations in sport with coaches and instructors available at club, county, and senior levels.
- Judges at county, regional, national and international levels are appointed to supervise tournaments throughout the UK.
- Handicap and classification schemes enable all archers to participate in competition on equal terms and helps to monitor their progress in shooting ability with archers nation wide.
- Awards are available in many forms for participating members of the GNAS, in recognition of shooting ability or their services on behalf of the Society.
- Rulebooks, handicap tables, information, news magazines and other publications are available for all Society members.
- Membership of the GNAS allows archers to shoot with any member club in the United Kingdom or with clubs affiliated to FITA, the sport's international governing body.
- The GNAS organises and administers international senior and junior training squads, actively participating in a comprehensive International Programme.
- Increasing publicity and promotion through the GNAS is accounting for more archers achieving recognition in the press or through the media of radio and television.
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Membership Services System The purpose of this project is to replace the present membership services system taking in account future needs.
Membership Services System - Reference Group Report December 2009 The system scope document was sent to a number of potential suppliers during October, from whom nine responses were seen. The group reviewed the responses and, at a separate meeting at the the development conference in November, selected a shortlist of five. The five short listed suppliers were invited to Lilleshall at the beginning of December to demonstrate their solutions. From this, three were selected for more in depth assessment, and a full day was spent with each supplier to investigate how their product would meet our requirements. Two preferred suppliers whose solutions meet our needs have now been identified. Negotiations with the suppliers will begin soon, with a view to making a final selection in time for ratification by the board at their meeting at the end of January. Jane, Michael and Tim, Membership Services Reference Group Questions and Answers - Uploaded 1 December 2009
Membership Services System – Reference Group Report September 2009 Since the April update the group has analysed the responses received from the Counties and Regions, and consolidated this into a proposed renewals process. A copy of this can be found on the Proposed Membership Process page of the Societies web site. A letter was sent to each Club along with their annual membership renewal pack, asking them to review the process and feed back to the group by mid September. The group met again on 28 September to review the feedback and create a FAQ document soon to be published on the website. As part of the systems audit, the group recommended that Alan Lawrie setup an information gathering session around Tournaments and Awards, which was held in May. Alan reported back his findings back to the group as part of his main report. The group was also involved in appointing a full time project manager to take the project forward. Peter Dickson was successful, and started work in July. Using the information gathered to date supplemented with his own investigations, Peter has created a scope document outlining the requirements for a membership services application and database. This will be published to potential suppliers over the coming weeks. Work planned over the next period • Review responses from potential suppliers • Attend supplier demonstrations • Attend the Development Conference towards the end of November. Jane, Michael and Tim, Membership Services Reference Group. October 2009 April 2009 Report The interim project team is Linda Berry (Senior Officer Operations Office), Bob McGonigle (Director), John Poyner (Finance Director) and David Sherratt (Chief Executive). The project team anticipates that a full-time project manager will be hired to take over the day-to-day running of the project. The team is supported by a reference group of members with specialist knowledge comprising Jane Grenfell, Michael Ward and Timothy Pratt. An independent business consultant, Alan Lawrie, is also working on the project helping to conduct a systems audit (as recommended by the November 2008 Development Planning Conference). Over the last two months, the project team has met to prepare preliminary planning documents and has met with the reference group to consider the systems audit and the supplier market. We have written to Regional membership secretaries requesting their input on options of how to collect fees to speed up getting cards to members. We also have prepared a descriptions of our present membership services, please read morehere and would welcome comments – these can be emailed to click here.
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Proposed Membership Process
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