Well done to those hardy few (Mark, Gary and Henry) who shot yesterday despite the very strong wind.

(Of course I would have been there to join them but for having to replace a central heating pump.)

Work in connection with the tram has re-started on University Boulevard. Expect delays when travelling to the Highfields Sports Centre/Hockey Club.

With regret we have to announce the death of Denis Beresford (87) on 31^st December 2012 after a short illness.  Denis was a well known and much respected archer in Nottinghamshire and the East Midlands, He began shooting in 1951 with the Royal Ordinance Factory Club (ROF Nottingham). The ROF became the Civil Service Archers, which in turn emerged into its current guise as ‘Wilford Bowmen’ in 2004.

An active archer for 52 weeks of the year, Denis quickly acquired additional skills as coach and judge; his wife Doreen assiduously organising his domestic diary around his archery.  His coaching skills were soon appreciated by newcomers to archery requiring him to spend less time shooting and more and more of his time outdoors coaching. In recent decades he only shot outdoors when there were no new archers to develop.  As a coach he introduced hundreds of people to archery.

He was a County Judge, again for longer than most can remember and assisted in many regional competitions.

In 2011 he broke his hip.  He had committed to judging the Wilford Rose Status York/Hereford shoot and was determined to fulfil his duty. So, three months after the injury, he was driven down to the shooting ground at Wilford where he fulfilled his duty; selfless dedication and determination in one act.  Club members walked round him with safety nets; just in case!

Denis was a vice president of the ‘Civil Service Archery Association’ for many years, and stood down only recently.  He has held every official post in the club.  He was awarded the most prestigious regional award, the ‘Ron Smith Memorial Trophy’ a few years ago.  He still competed in the Civil Service Winter Divisional Postal League every season. In addition he organised tournaments, too many and varied to mention.

He shot indoors, twice a week, every year between October and April.  Denis remained an active archer until the end.

He was the simply the star of our club and was widely acclaimed within the county. He was committed to archery absolutely and was a fine ambassador for the sport.

‘One of the lads’ was all Denis ever wanted to be, and he was; a very special lad to us all.

Our sincere and heartfelt condolences go to his widow, Doreen, and to the rest of his family.

The beginners courses that we started in August have been successful and very well attended. The Wednesday evening course has now completed (just as well with the evenings drawing in rapidly). Most of the attendees on the Sunday course, which started a little later have completed the course with just a few due to finish next Sunday.

The feedback has been very positive and we have already gained a number of new members, with more likely.

In order to provide more information on equipment selection and purchase and what to expect in the first year of shooting we will be holding a seminar for the people from both courses on Wednesday in the Highfields clubhouse.

Thank you to Ralph for mending the rope winder. It makes things a lot easier when we have to rope off.

We’ve just found out that the Great Nottingham show will be held on the Highfields site on the weekend of 29/30th September. More details here http://thegreatnottinghamshireshow.wordpress.com/

Therefore no shooting on Sun 30th, and as the Robin Hood Marathon is being held the same day with part of the route along University Boulevard it sounds like the area is best avoided – unless you are going to the show, or running.

Wilford members had mixed fortunes at the Inter County team shoot last weekend (2nd Sept), between Notts, Lincs, Derbys, Northants and Leics).

Emma Thomason was called up at very short notice and joined Mike Thomason, Laura White and Steve Attwood and the rest of the Nottinghamshire team at Long Buckby Archers in Daventry. In all Wilford members made up one fifth of the Notts team.

Conditions were good. The shoot went smoothly. Emma shot very well and beat her personal best by 130 points. The rest of us acheived some season’s best scores. Despite Nottinghamshire’s best efforts, the opposition were just too strong and we finished out of contention.

These pages haven’t been updated much lately because we’ve been so busy.

Mike Thomason was one of the Nottinghamshire team in the Tri County match between Notts, Derbys and Warwickshire on 5th August. Last weekend (12th) Matt, Laura, Nicky, Steve and Mike were the work party (with bacon cobs prepared by Charlotte) AND shot in the third and final leg of the Notts League shoot (which we hosted at Sherwood Archers). Wilford were 1st on the day and joint 1st overall, but 2nd on total score. (Its done on a points basis) Result! In addition Laura, Mike and Steve have been selected to represent Nottinghamshire in the Thoresby Trophy Inter county event (Notts, Lincs, Leics, Derbys, Northants) on 2nd September in Daventry.

On top of that while the Olympics was on a lot of people took part in the Nottingham City Council “Game On” taster sessions. Although the “Game On” promotion got off to a slow start it picked up considerably as time progressed (17 for the last two sessions) and we could have filled the final session twice over. We have been offering an alternate session, but this hasn’t had many takers, mainly due to holidays. In all 53 people took part, some even turned up twice.

Many thanks are due to Mike, Ralph, Denis, Pete, Charlotte and Steve for all their hard work in dealing with this level of interest. We have had many compliments on the sessions. Thanks are also due to Matt for his wonderful posters.

There have been many enquiries about beginners courses from the “Game On” sessions, via our website and the Notts Archery website. Since mid July we have responded to approximately 75 requests for information on beginners courses, with the result that the two courses currently underway were oversubscribed, and there’s enough interest to fill another course later in the year.

After all this hard work, we expect that a good proportion of people from the course will want to join the club. That in itself will will be a challenge and we’ve a long way to go yet, but its all looking very positive for the future of Wilford Bowmen.

Wilford Bowmen are taking part in the City Council’s “Game On £1 Promotion” which will be running during the Olympics by hosting a series of archery taster sessions at a cost of just £1. Details are here

The second leg (of three) of the Nottinghamshire League took place yesterday at Sherwood Archers. Despite all the rough, wet weather lately, the conditons were very pleaseant, it was warm, calm and dry with enough sunshine for some archers to go home looking a touch red. Attendance was up slightly on the first event at Rolls Royce at the start of May.

We had a good turn out – Mike Thomason (Compound), Laura White, Matt Robinson, Terry Holden and Steve Attwood (Recurve) and Andy Kay (Judge). Interim club team positions will be available here shortly.

Each year Nottinghamshire take part in a challenge against Sherwood in Oregon. In recent years the teams are selected over the first two legs of the Notts League. Wilford were well represented, with Mike, Laura and Steve being in the respective teams. In addition Laura was just pipped as highest lady overall, having led after the first leg.

More information on the Sherwood Challenge is available here. http://www.sylvanarchers.org/subpages/Nottingham/50thAnivInfo.pdf