ARCHERY
WEST Wight Archery Club celebrated its 25th anniversary last weekend with faces old and new.
At the club’s weekly shoot, members enjoyed a cake and barbecue, while former members came along to mark the occasion too. One former member even expressed a wish to rejoin.
The club was formed in 1987 by Ron and Marlene Emmett, of Brighstone, who were originally members of Wight Bowmen, but found the travel between home and competition too strenuous. They set up an informal group which grew in popularity and, thanks to a loan from the Bowmen, were able to purchase more equipment to use.
Initially the club shot on the lawn at The Lodge, Brighstone for outdoors, and Brighstone scout hut for indoors.
But as the club grew, so they moved, initially to Calbourne sports field, opposite The Sun Inn, and then to Medina Leisure Centre, where they could shoot at 90m. For indoor shooting, they moved to Newport’s Drill Hall in 1991, and remain there today.
The club now has around 30 members, and coaches youngsters during the summer holidays at Medina.