Shay writes  "I first got into archery after my dad returned to the sport in 2013 after a long break away from it. I went along with him and shot on and off as a club archer for the first 7 years. I really enjoyed the competition/ performance aspect of the sport and decided to take it more seriously. I was delighted to be accepted onto the Archery GB Olympic Performance Pathway. I started on the National Talent Development Programme (NTDP), then progressed to Conversion Academy then finally onto the World Class Programme where I currently train full time at the Performance Archery Center (PAC) in Lilleshall.

The funding I received from the Fletchers Trust has enabled me to purchase new arrows that are better suited to my bow. Without the support of the trust I would not have been in a position to obtain these new arrows that I desperately needed. 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.

 I have just come back from an amazing experience at my first international competition, representing Great Britain at the European Grand Prix in Arnhem, Netherlands. I am very excited to start my preparation and training over the coming months so that when next year's outdoor season comes around I am in an even better place to bring home some international medals