Earlier this year (2015), on what seemed the first day of summer the Master treated me to my first archery lesson at Noak Hill. For the benefit of those, who like me have not been to Noak Hill it is a small club on the outskirts of Romford, Essex. The instructors who are Club members are excellent, very patient and professional and all keen to see you do your best – so much so that at one point I think I had 6 of them advising me on how to hold my bow, position my body, release the arrow for maximum effect.
Initially everyone shoots at targets, this is to help everyone get back into the swing and to test sights and adjust if necessary, then the scoring begins. We divide into teams of 3 or 4 depending on the number who attend. Each team has an instructor/guide to take us around to each target and to keep our scores. We start with target archery and each team then move into the field. Some 16 or so targets which in this instance were mostly animals, zebra, crocodile, boar, and hart to name a few and each positioned to present a different challenge. Some had to be shot at from a platform, others from the ground and all at varying angles. I was fortunate to be in the Andrews team (McMillan and Trapnell) since both are accomplished archers and sadly my ability with a rifle did not translate to a bow as I had hoped. Without their high scores, if we were having a team competition, team Andrews would undoubtedly have been last – competitive moi? Absolutely – 2nd is first last!
The Master was kind enough to take me again in October, when the team at Noak Hill had made the field targets according to an Agincourt theme. Whilst everyone praised their creativity, these proved even more challenging than usual. I was pleased that my own performance had improved, though alas not to a level to help with the scoring.
Tea, coffee and biscuits are available throughout the day and the team lay on a stupendous buffet lunch. I urge any member of the Company who has not yet been to Noak Hill yet, to take a day out, and have a go, the instruction is superb, the archery fun, and it’s a great way to get to know your fellow Fletchers better.