On the 17th of August 2008 Pilgrim Bowmen of Boston will host the Jack
Oliver Memorial shoot. Download the shooting entry here for more info.
Thank you.
New shed update
Thursday 10th April
As many members know the existing shed is on it’s last legs. Repairs have been carried out by workparties over the years but this is no longer an option.
After preliminary investigations the Club has given me authority to go ahead and find a suitable replacement. After much thought it has been decided that the most cost effective option it to replace the existing shed with a double concrete garage with a dividing wall.
This will allow one half to be used as storage for the outdoor equipment and the other half to be kept clean and used as an outdoor club room.
We are hoping to share an outside toilet with another club at the Mayflower complex and to have a small kitchen area to make catering easier on tournament days and also for the coffee breaks on club nights.
Progress so far:
Discussions with other clubs at the Mayflower (BASA) to co-ordinate with other work being carried out
Estimates for costs of the various works
Investigating possible outside funding towards the costs
Considering planning regulations
Discussions with various members of the Club as members will be needed to help with various aspects of the work such as laying the base for the garage to sit on, electrics, plumbing, etc.
If you think you can help in any way please let me know, I can be found at
the Club most Friday evenings.
starting point for discussion to improve/replace the current Club constitution.
Please let Jim have any comments on his email - nssf@care4free.net
Beginners Sessions September 2007
A number of people interested in learning archery have booked into the next beginners course starting on Friday, 14 September 2007 from 6.00 to 7.30pm. The sessions will run for six weeks on Friday evenings in the indoor shooting range at the Mayflower Sports Centre, Rosebery Avenue, Boston. The cost of the course is £15 which is deducted from the annual subscription if the beginner wishes to join the Club.
The sessions are co-ordinated by Gwen who has recently qualified as a Level 1 coach together with Stuart and Kate. Other members help when needed and all equipment is provided by the Club during the course.
We have just finished our 2007 Summer Sports Tour. This is a scheme co-ordinated by Boston Borough Council where sports clubs in the district are invited to offer taster sessions to children on their summer break from school. The Council sends details of clubs taking part to schools each year.
The Club has been participating in the scheme for a number of years. Club equipment is available and the archery sessions take place on Friday afternoons under the supervision of Gwen with help from other club members.
Any children who are interested in continuing with the sport are asked to book into the next beginners course run by the Club once or twice a year.
Nine members of the Club, together with family members, making a total party of 17, made the bi-annual visit to Boston’s twin town of Laval in France at the end of July. The link between the towns has been going since 1958 and the archery link started in 1961. Ian Clayton has been involved from the start and made his first visit in 1965.
The journey is a bit harrowing in that, travelling by coach, you leave Boston at midnight on the chosen Friday, go to Portsmouth and catch a ferry and then further coach travel to arrive at you destination usually about 14 hours!! The one good bit is the ferry crossing. This lasts about 5 ½ hours which means you can have a meal and go the bar – in whichever order suits you!
Accommodation in France is in the homes of the French archers and their generosity knows no bounds. You are treated like royalty from start to finish. Whilst the basis of the visit is archery, there is a social side normally involving barbecues, eating and more eating! This year the French council organised a trip to the Asterix Theme Park near Paris – the downside was a 5.00am departure from Laval! However, a good time was had by all who returned to base worn out.
Normally when we are there we shoot outdoors but because of the inclement weather (they have had a rubbish Summer like us) we shot indoors. Their indoor range is within a multi-activity indoor complex, which also caters for judo, weightlifting, basketball, five-aside football, gymnastics and several other disciplines. This facility was constructed by the farsighted Laval Council who, when the large supermarket of Leclerc relocated, bought the building and converted it. The archery range is set up for 30 metres but there are all sorts of targets all round for short-range practice and training.
Both Boston and Laval teams comprised a motley crew of both compound and recurve archers, some serious and some casual! However, I think Boston has a couple more ‘casual’ archers than them because in the team event, which is contested for the ‘Concorde’ trophy, Laval gave us a sound beating and won by 900 points!
We did try – Honest!
The photo shows Pilgrim’s team – what a shower!
