I genuinely feel that AGB does not have the ability to save our sport as we know it post C-19.
Looking at my own club as an example and taking the current thinking that restrictions will probably be in place until September, we will not realistically be in a position to host any beginners courses this year (outdoor only club). This will have a significant impact on our club income as we endeavour to keep membership fees low to assist those in our catchment area on low incomes to participate in the sport.
When we do get back to shooting there will be a period of substantial groundwork’s needing to be completed to render our field usable, calling on the goodwill of members who have not been together in 6 months.
I know we have members who have already expressed that they won’t return to the sport following the lay-off because they will have had zero good weather shooting and no likelihood of any until next spring/summer. Who wants to only shoot in cold/wind/rain week on week?
Our saving grace is we don’t have to pay rent on our ground otherwise we would currently be having a discussion that I know at least one other local’ish club is having about winding up completely before funds run out completely.
There is nothing a AGB can do to inject life back into grass roots club archery once this is all over - they haven’t done anything about it over the past years when there wasn’t a crisis so what hope for us afterwards when they have no money.
The general public will be focussed on picking up the pieces of lives affected to varying levels of severity by the decrease in earnings, loss of work, bills, etc. not on going out to spend money on learning a new sport / taking up a new hobby. If you want fresh air, time out of the house and to meet people then something like Parkrun is free and requires no specialist equipment - we aren’t!
I am thankful I shoot
longbow and have access to a wonderful privately owned
longbow only venue within reasonable travelling distance (after C-19) that is covered under insurance for members of the British Longbow Society whose £15 p.a. membership fee is significantly less than AGB. I feel for those without such a fallback position.
Karl