[English Longbow] Secret societies

Berk

New member
Or so it feels when you try and get information about some of them online.

Which societies are people members of? There seem to be a huge number including GNAS, NFAS, BLBS, EWBS, ILAA, BBQ, and who knows what else. I know some of these are wider in their scope than just the longbow and some are merely tasty ways of preparing food. What do the different societies offer, and are they worth joining?

From some of the info I've managed to find most of them are cheap enough, I'm just not sure what they offer.
 
D

Deleted member 7654

Guest
I belong to NFAS and ILAA.
I was briefly a member of GNAS, but they did not cater in the slightest to my interests/requirements and is IMO fixated on Olympic recurve.
BLBS are a total nightmare to communicate with... I wanted their definition of English longbow so I could make a bow for someone.
Never found their definition ! ... so I made it to ILAA spec' only to find it was then rejected by the customer, for whom I made a replacement... and then he ceased all communication.
The ILAA spec' is the only one which is clearly and fully defined with the rationale behind each part fully explained.
Del
 

Berk

New member
BLBS are a total nightmare to communicate with... I wanted their definition of English longbow so I could make a bow for someone.
Never found their definition !
I remember reading about that while trawling through the longbow threads, it's hard to believe that an organisation would be so unhelpful, but having seen their 'website' I can believe it.

I think I have an NFAS club nearby, but they're another who's web presence is limited to an outdated site. I do like the idea of field shooting though, it's one I may look in to next year when I improve a bit.

I've looked at ILAA, and their site covers a good amount of information, plus their annual membership is cheap so I may join them to see what's what.
 

Raven's_Eye

Active member
Ironman
I'm a member of AGB (GNAS).

I was a member of BLBS but as I forgot to send the cheque through my membership slipped, but as I never got to any specific BLBS shoots I'm not too bothered.
I was a member of the ILAA, but as most of their shoots are further south than I'm willing to travel that has lapsed to.


FYI Del, BLBS longbow limits are the same (as far as I can remember) as AGB, with the additional draw weight limit of 70lbs (I think it is).
 

Berk

New member
I was a member of the ILAA, but as most of their shoots are further south than I'm willing to travel that has lapsed to.
A very good point, I just checked out their upcoming shoots page and saw this gem.

Shoot locations of the shoots: in Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Essex, Berkshire, London, Merseyside, France (North and South) and Germany

So approximately; way south, way south, further south, way south, way south, way north, even further south, even further south... I may give them a pass then.



There is also the SFAA - Scottish Field Archery Association.

BillM
I think these may come under the classification of; even further way north, for me. :D
 

Raven's_Eye

Active member
Ironman
There is also the English warbow society, though I believe you need a minimum bow weight for their shoots. Also Welsh Warbow Society, I've shot with them once, nice day though again lot of travel.
 

dvd8n

Supporter
Supporter
AIUK Saviour
There's also the NFF which is basically a small number of loosely associated clubs in Scotland who came together for the purpose of organising insurance for their clubs.
 

English Bowman

Well-known member
I'm a member of GNAS (also known as AGB) shoot mainly field, and am in a club dominated by longbows and AFBs. Toyed with the idea of joining NFAS or EFAA but currently I don't have enough time to do more shoots than I already do and GNAS provide everything I want to do. I was invited to join ILAA when they were first starting, but what they wanted from me, and what they were prepared to offer in return was ridiculous. This put me off ever joining them.
 

AndyW

Well-known member
I remember reading about that while trawling through the longbow threads, it's hard to believe that an organisation would be so unhelpful, but having seen their 'website' I can believe it.

I think I have an NFAS club nearby, but they're another who's web presence is limited to an outdated site. I do like the idea of field shooting though, it's one I may look in to next year when I improve a bit.

I've looked at ILAA, and their site covers a good amount of information, plus their annual membership is cheap so I may join them to see what's what.
In Wyre Forest - I should say there's a few NFAS clubs - you've got more than one local club - you are in a golden zone for NFAS. Ignore the look of the website just go to the clubs section and have a look. It won't let you into the map view but will give you an approx location.
 

little-else

Supporter
Supporter
AIUK Saviour
It is a perennial problem, someone starts an organisation with good aims and intentions and sorts out a series of events for the calendar. As they are almost a one man band this means that the events tend to be geographically close to where they can be at a given time of yesr. What needs to happen is someone else takes up the administration and organisation of some shoots that would be in their neck of the woods but have a meeting that is somewhere halfway between these 2 areas so the 2 groups can meet and feel as though they are one organisation and not 2 disparate ones. There are other clubs and groups of people who do roving clout and shooting at the marks so perhaps the perceived need is already met but under a different umbrella.
I would like to do flight archery but cant persuade anyone in the south to lend me their airfield for a day or two. I am a member of the BLBS ( was an ILAA member but their events just clashed with other things so let membership expire) and although they are active it is an organisation that relies on people who are already too busy and getting on a bit so at some point either someone has to take over the reins or it may well suddenly stop being visible because one of the key people has been carted off to hospital or the like..
A very good point, I just checked out their upcoming shoots page and saw this gem.


So approximately; way south, way south, further south, way south, way south, way north, even further south, even further south... I may give them a pass then.





I think these may come under the classification of; even further way north, for me. :D
 
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