A college in Worcester offered soft archery to blind and visually-impaired (VI) students, giving them the opportunity to try the sport.
New College Worcester (NCW) is an educational setting for children and young people aged 11-19 from all over the UK who are blind or visually impaired.
Jamila Bi, Archery GB's Legacy Coordinator, has been working with Laura Harris from NCW, and coach Tony Davy to ensure the students of NCW have the opportunity to have a go at archery, with the possibility of establishing the sport into the curriculum.
The college hosted a successful have-a-go event, which took place in the summer with many students trying archery for the first time.
Laura, the Events and Engagement Officer at the college, said every year NCW runs a Summer Activity Break, which is three days and two nights full of fun and activities for young people aged 11-16 who are blind or visually impaired and don’t already attend NCW.
She said: "It is a brilliant opportunity for them to make new friendships and try new things. This year we had the pleasure of hosting archery as part of our Summer Activity Break. It was wonderful to see the young people trying something new, having fun together and taking part in such an accessible sport.
"One of them even wanted to see what was available locally to try archery again! They all left feeling happy and proud for trying something new."
On 12 October, Jamila and Tony returned to the college to support a Family Day. The event offered children with visual impairments and their families the chance to try a variety of activities suitable for all ages and abilities, including archery. Around 70 families attended, representing a spectrum of visual impairments, from partial sight to total blindness. Many parents expressed their gratitude as they witnessed the positive effects of archery first-hand during a day filled with joy and laughter.
Riley, who is visually impaired and participated for the first time, said: "The first time my arrow didn't hit the board, but the second time all my arrows did, and I am so happy - archery wasn't pointless!"
Another attendee remarked: "I didn't think archery would make me feel so powerful."
Jamila said: "We're excited to offer the students of NCW the chance to experience this wonderful sport. One of the most rewarding aspects of my role is witnessing the positive impact archery can have on individuals. I take great pride in the fact that archery is one of the most inclusive sports, allowing everyone to participate. I'm proud of what we've accomplished so far and look forward to taking the next steps to see how archery can be an integral part of NCW.
"Huge thanks to Tony for his dedication to coaching and growing participation in VI archery."
If you’re a coach or instructor interested in delivering VI archery, please contact stuart.wall@archerygb.org
To find out more about soft archery in schools, click the button below:
