Stay on target with Hull Kingston Archers

Since the release of films such as The Hunger Games and Brave, both starring bow-and-arrow wielding heroines, archery has been on the rise as a popular hobby amongst youngsters and adults alike. One local club where you can learn the art is Hull Kingston Archers.

Hull Kingston Archers have been around for over 40 years and are affiliates of the Grand National Archery Society, the Yorkshire Archery Association and the Northern Counties Archery Society. It’s a target archery club, with an outdoor shooting ground located within the picturesque parkland of Cottingham Parks Golf and Leisure Club.

Members of the club are able to make use of a number of the clubhouse facilities, including the on-site bar, restaurant and toilets, with free parking also available on the grounds.

Outdoor shooting takes place on Sunday mornings all year round, and on Wednesday and Friday evenings from April to September. They also offer indoor shooting, taking place in Walton Street Leisure Centre on Wednesday evenings during the colder months of the year.

Visiting archers in possession of a current GNAS Membership card and their own archery equipment are able to join the club without a membership for a payment of £3 per session.

If you’re looking to join the club and brush up on your shooting skills, Hull Kingston Archers doesn’t offer a year-round programme of archery instruction. Instead, they have a beginner’s course in Recurve Archery, taking place in the early spring.

The course consists of six 90-minute sessions, and includes some initial instruction followed by a round of practice shooting. The course costs £30 per person to attend, and the payment includes use of the club’s equipment – a bow and arrows, a finger tab, and a bracer, plus insurance. The minimum age to take part is 12, and participants between the ages of 12 and 18 must be accompanied at all times by a parent or guardian.

Sessions take place at Cottingham Parks on Sunday mornings and on one or more evenings, either on a Wednesday or a Friday. To complete the course and be awarded your certificate, you need to attend a minimum of four sessions over what is usually a two- or three-week period.

If you successfully complete the course, you’ll be eligible to apply for club membership – though from this point onwards, you’ll need to bring your own archery equipment. The annual fee for Hull Kingston Archers members is £95 for seniors (adults), or £70 for juniors (aged between 12 and 17).

“Hull Kingston Archery is a great club,” says a reviewer on TripAdvisor. “I go here with my 12-year-old daughter. Coaches Carl and Mark always make you feel welcome, and it's great for families. I would recommend this club to anyone.”

If you’re interested in joining the club, you can get in contact with the Club Secretary, Adrian, at eros.aries@yahoo.co.uk.