Sporting People

There are also many day centres around the county where you can try the sport. Most of these have all the equipment you need but if you become more involved, you will probably want to buy your own. There are grants available to help promising disabled archers purchase equipment.

There are also small manufacturers who will custom make items such as a quiver for a wheelchair user. Other organisations that can help with information include the Kent Association for the Blind and the Kent Outdoor Pursuits Disability Project.

The Parallel Games

Kent Youth Parallel Games

The 2005 Kent Youth Parallel Games were held at Sevenoaks School on 23rd June and 14 Special schools, designated units took part in the archery championship representing a wide range of disabilities.

A team of archery coaches visited those schools that had neither equipment nor qualified staff early in the summer term and a group of pupils from each school were trained in preparation for the games. Although not all those pupils who were trained were able to represent their school at the games, they were able to try a new sport and learn a new skill. Three of these schools have already indicated their intention to have staff trained as leaders and to purchase equipment for their school for next year.

Archery in Schools

The introduction of archery into the Kent Youth Parallel Games in 2002 has led to several of the special schools and designated units in Kent including it in their normal sporting activities.

Meadowfield School in Sittingbourne has archery as part of its curriculum and organises competitions with other special schools, Dorton House School in Seal, which is part of the Royal London School for the Blind, and Valence School in Westerham already have archery for some of their PE lessons as well as lunchtime or after school clubs. Several of the other special schools in Kent have similar options.

Riverside School in Rainham are currently obtaining the equipment to set up an after-school club for their visually impaired designated unit and Danecourt School in Gillingham, Wyvern School in Ashford and the St.Werburgh centre in Hoo are all looking to introduce archery.

Wherever possible assistance has been provided with identifying suitable sources of funding and support with completing the relevant application forms. Archery-specific leader courses are arranged so that members of staff can gain a recognised teaching qualification.

Archery for the Visually Impaired

Visually impaired archers are categorised according to their visual acuity and there are separate classes for these categories, which are designated B1, B2, B3 and B4 according to a sight test carried out by British Blind Sport.

Melissa

Melissa, pictured here, is Kent's top visually impaired archer and regularly attends British Blind Sport and Disability Sport England Archery Events.

For archers who cannot see the target a tactile sight is used. This is a pointer mounted on a tripod, which the archer lightly touches with the back of the hand to determine the arrows’ direction and elevation.

Through British Blind Sport, Britain leads the world in unifying standards and rules for international competition for visually impaired archers.

CEDAK

CEDAK

The Centre of Excellence for Disability Archery in Kent has been established to promote archery as a sport for the disabled, to help people who have tried the sport and want to develop, hopefully with the intention of joining an open club, as well as providing the specialist support for those who want to make it to the top.

John Cavanagh, paralympic archery gold medallist and world record holder, opened the centre on the 23rd May 2005 in the presence of Sevenoaks MP Michael Fallon and the Chairman of Sevenoaks District Council Ian Bosley. John is pictured here with some of the centre members. The centre is based at Valence School in Westerham and meets on alternate Monday evenings.

The Kent Tournament

Kent Tournament for Archers with a Disability

This tournament was established in 2004 for existing archers who have some form of disability. In 2005 the event was hosted by Ashford Archers and attended by 26 competitors from across Kent and Essex.

Several local companies have donated trophies, the target faces were donated by Ten-Ring, Kent’s archery shop and the event continues to be supported by the Kent Outdoor Pursuits Disability Project.