Andrew McMillan, Chairman of the Fletchers Trust and I, were lucky enough to be invited by Archery GB as VIP guests to attend the Final of the National Tour Championships on 30/31 August at Wolverton Hall, Nottingham. This event is the culmination of a series of eliminations held around the country over the last months. Able bodied archers shot against each other, in the hope that their efforts made it to the Final. The event is held every year. 

There were six categories: Compound Men; Compound Women; Barebow Men; Barebow Women; Recurve Men and Recurve Women. In all there were 40 archers competing. The event started with the 4 bronze medal matches leading to the silver and gold in each category. Some of the archers themselves were World, International, Olympic and National status including previous winners of the National Tour Final.  Some attended Paris 2024. and before. One of the archers was Finlay Clark, a Trust supported archer, shooting in the compound men category. 

The weather was at times challenging with wind gusts of up to 80km/h and the inevitable heavy rain, all of which was endured and did not stop shooting. 

We engaged with board members and officials of Archery GB, and shared each other’s stories. I myself was invited to hand out the cheques and the like in the final event, to the recurve women, won by Holly Linfield, someone who I had not come across before.  

Archery GB will put the Event on their website, if anyone is interested to read the story or watch the shooting. 

Past Master, Chris Brown