Community directory

Abbey Bowmen (Herts)

Summary The St Albans Archery Club

The Abbey Bowmen meet in St Albans for practice, coaching, shooting rounds and competitions. Members use a variety of bows: compound, recurve, longbow and barebow.

In the summer they meet at Verulam School Playing Field, Sandpit Lane, St Albans on Sundays, 10.00am-1.00pm and Tuesdays, 6.00pm until dark. There is plenty of space to shoot the full distance of both metric and imperial rounds. Visitors from other archery clubs and societies are welcome; there is a small visitor's fee.

From October to March they meet indoors on Sundays, 10.00am-1.00pm at St Albans Girls School Sport Hall, Sandridgebury Lane, St Albans and Tuesday and Thursday evenings at the STAGS Gym. Please phone for further details.

The club caters for people from 8 years upwards. Beginners courses (for both juniors and seniors) with loan of equipment are run three times a year. Due to the popularity of these courses you may have to wait up to a year for a place. For more details or to go on the waiting list, please contact Tony Ferguson on 01442 268461. If you successfully complete a GNAS recognised beginners' course elsewhere, then you are welcome to apply for membership.

Participation for the disabled: arm and upper body fitness is required, but great strength is not needed. Good sight is not essential.

In the summer, at its outdoor shooting ground, the club can provide 'have-a-go' sessions for small groups (up to 25 people) of friends, relatives, work colleagues, etc. These sessions are held at weekends or on weekday evenings. They provide a safe, easy and inexpensive introduction to archery. To book a session please contact Ian Davitt on 01727 764473 (NB. the more notice you give the more likely they are to be able to accommodate you).

Publication: Linecutter magazine.

Date of AGM: March/April.

Affiliated to the Grand National Archery Society, the Southern Counties Archery Society and the Hertfordshire Archery Association.

See also record for: Hertfordshire Archery Association