Archery Club

About Us

Welcome to the Birkbeck UoL Archery Club!

For 2023/24, we will be continuing to host regular, weekly training and recreational sessions in Pimlico, as well as competing against other Universities in BUCS Indoor and Outdoor competitions.

Grab your membership below to join the group and receive communications about how to get involved, and when our events and activities will be. Feel free to get in touch with us in advance!

We charge a membership fee to help fund the club's activity. This is heavily subsidised by Students' Union funding, as we continue to make extra-curricular activity at Birkbeck as accessible as possible - as it should be! If you are a student from another UoL instution, a Birkbeck alumni, staff member or guest, we ask you contribute a slightly larger amount to ensure a fair and transparent deal for Birkbeck students, and to keep groups affordable and sustainable.

What We Do

• In a typical session, the range will be set up and a number of practice distances with a choice of target faces will be set up. Equipment is provided during sessions, and is available for rent to those looking to compete. Senior members of the club work in small groups with the newer members to improve their technique and offer guidance when required. Archery GB recognised rounds can be shot on the Sunday for archers wishing to try their hand at competitions, but we also run fun shoots. Styles include recurve, barebow and longbow archery.

Rules (all rules MUST be obeyed):

• The shooting line is indicated by a clearly marked line on the floor. No one will cross this line during shooting
• Sound signals will be used to indicate when arrows can be shot or collected. One sound signal means shooting is in progress, no one will cross the shooting line. Three sound signals means arrows may be collected, no one is to shoot.
• If shooting must be halted for safety reasons, that person must call "FAST". On hearing this call, all archers must immediately stop shooting, returning all unshot arrows to the quiver. If necessary, "FAST" should be repeated by other archers to ensure everyone has heard and stopped shooting.
• An archer may only draw his bow, with an arrow, standing at the shooting line, pointing at the target. Shooting a bow without an arrow will damage the bow.
• Listen to your coaches and do not experiment. They may tell you to 'come down' which means do not shoot as your coach wants to give you some advice.
• You should wear comfortable but close-fitting clothing. It is better to wear several thin layers than one bulky one as bowstrings tend to catch on jackets with baggy sleeves.
• Please do not wear high heels or any facial piercings.
• You MUST tell us if you have any injuries or disabilities which will affect your shooting.

When and Where We Meet

Indoor Season: September - March

Outdoor Season: late March - end of the academic year

During the outdoor season, members have the option to join Hampstead Bowmen / London Archers as an affliate archer to continue shooting.

Competition Opportunities

Archers will have the opportunity to compete in the South East Student Archery League (SEAL) throughout the indoor season (September to March). We also send archers to the British University Team Championships (BUTC), to British University College Sports (BUCS) Indoors in March, and BUCS Outdoors in June. There is also the opportunity to enter in non-university, record and non-record status shoots throughout the year, such as the Middlesex Championships and charity fun shoots.

The opportunity to participate in competitions on behalf of the University of London for all is available throughout the year.

Socials:

https://www.instagram.com/ularchers/

ularchers@gmail.com

What Does It Cost?

Annual Membership

£45 for Birkbeck Students

£50 for University of London Students (Students from UCL, KCL, LSE and other University of London Member Institutes)

£60 for University of London Staff / Alumni / Other Higher Education Institute Students (Please contact us if you have any queries regarding this)