Olympic and Paralympic archers’ stage 24-hour charity shoot
Great Britain’s archery team are staging a 24-hour shoot to raise money to increase access to the sport for disabled people.
The shoot will take place from midday on November 27 and 28, at the Performance Archery Centre at Lilleshall National Sports Centre in Shropshire.
Among those taking part will be Tokyo Paralympic Champion Phoebe Paterson Pine and Paris Olympian Penny Healey.
The event is raising money for the Access Archery Fund, which was launched this year by Archery GB, the national governing body for the sport, and the Fletchers' Trust, the charitable arm of the Worshipful Company of Fletchers which supports disabled archers from grassroots to Paralympic level.
The public are invited to come along and support the challenge on 27 November by shooting some arrows in the place where Olympic and Paralympic archers train. Attendees are invited to cheer on the athletes and have a go while also donating to the fund. You can bring your own bow or borrow a beginner bow with full instruction provided. Each participant will get to shoot at least 6 arrows in exchange for a suggested donation of £5 collected on the day.
To select a timeslot and sign up to shoot in the home of Olympic and Paralympic archery, see here.
We look forward to welcoming you, come shoot, cheer, and make a difference!
Gayle Pink, Head of Participation at Archery GB, said: "We're incredibly proud to be part of something that makes a real difference. This fund will enable clubs and providers to be more inclusive and offer everyone a route into archery.
"It's fantastic our elite athletes are giving back to the sport they love, by raising funds to support AAF they will ensure grassroots archery is inclusive and supports disabled people to take up archery."
Shay Boyd, who is on the Olympic World Class Programme, benefited from the support of the Fletchers' Trust when he was coming up through the develop pathway. He said: "Having the Trust's assistance has helped so much on my archery journey. Having the opportunity to upgrade my equipment has given me peace of mind, confidence and takes away some of the worries, allowing me to concentrate solely on my performance."
The new fund is open to donations and, from next year, clubs and Archery Activity Partners will be able to apply for small grants to fund projects, equipment and training to support more disabled people into the sport.
During the shoot, the athletes will film a timelapse of their efforts and keep track of the number of arrows they shoot with at least one archer shooting throughout the 24 hour period, including through the night. The distance their arrows cover will be plotted onto a map as they attempt to aim for LA, the site of the next Games in 2028. They will share updates on their attempt via Archery GB's and their own social media channels.
To donate to the fund, see here.