The Whiteleaf Bowmen

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Hallmark 2017 extract from an article by Joan West. click Stocken Farm Diary Part 4 for more:-

Some years ago the Whiteleaf Bowman rented some land from R M West & Son of Stocken Farm having lost their site at Saunderton.

Its entrance is along the road at Walters Ash just before the houses begin.

Hallmark 2008. The Whiteleaf Bowmen. Article by Mike Piercy. (click Mike and Candy Piercy for more about Mike)

The Whiteleaf bowmen are the local archery club.

The Lacey Green youth group caught up with the archers at the village hall, to have an enjoyable fun evening shoot. Good to see 20 local young people and their leaders experiencing a long traditional sport in the community.

Readers may remember our Have-a-go session at the Lacey Green Maize - Maze. This event is run by our landlord; we ran two bosses on. Saturday from 11:30 through to 16:00 for all to experience.

The men from Speen had an evening ending with balloons on the targets for a fun shoot at the archery field, as did over 10 different groups from local area, like the Thame scouts, Lions club, Round Table, the opportunity for +240 participants to shoot this year supervised by our club archers.

The club has in addition run 3 very successful beginners courses this year having 46 participants taking an interest and/or take up the sport with the club, but it's having the correct basic training to shoot and safety instruction first.

The members have access to the field throughout the year, Club nights are Wednesdays and Thursday evenings, summertime at the field, wintertime in the excellent facilities of the village hall and Sunday's mornings at the field.

Groups also meet up during the week to enjoy shooting different types of bows, a number of members meeting up for social shoot and competitions. One family came to the field, while one club member was practicing, his wife and daughter could just sit and read a book. Until it was time to find the missing arrows in the field. One member can be found at the field who is currently barracked at the air command HQ enjoying his sport.

The club is affiliated to the Grand National archery society, Buckinghamshire archery association and southern counties ASE, so the club has many visitors from the all over the county. One occasion two county coach assessors arrived to carry out a final assessment for a Level 1 Coaching certificate for the chairman Alan Hunt. All our coaching and archery leaders under go the necessary training supported by the above bodies.

Eight members of our club were present at the Bucks County Shoot. The tournament round was a York for Gents (6/4/2 dozen at 100/80/60 yards) or a Hereford for Ladies (6/4/2 dozen at 80/60/50 yards). The conditions were good on the day although the wind was a bit blustery and swirled somewhat at the target end but before you all think that this is the start of the normal archery excuses the club was very victorious. We walked away with all the senior county recurve trophies and the gents’ barebow trophy.

Julie Morling collected the Ladies County Recurve Trophy

With Sam Fowler taking second place

Justyn Fowler collected the Gents County Recurve Trophy

Tim Skegg collected the Gents County Barebow Trophy

Julie Morling, Sam Fowler, Justyn Fowler and Tony White collected. the Team County Recurve Trophy.

The pictures here show just two of the trophies and silverware held by the club.

Jonathan Shales president of the club had been selected for the British field archery attending the World Games in Taipei. For those of you that have not been able to follow his progress there he came 8th and in case you are thinking is that all remember it is 8th in the World.

Our congratulations again go to Jonathan Shales who not content with being the Gents British Field champion has now won the British Target championship that took place in Lilleshall (home of English archery) at the start of this September. So, congratulations Jon from all of your fellow Whiteleaf bowmen. I am sure Jonathan will be encouraging others in to put in for competitions.

The Chilterns has entertained the club going into its 44" anniversary of a sport of archery in the community. So, for something next year, why not give it a go with some friends?

In September 2017 Richard West received the following email :-

Hi Richard,

Can you pass this on to Joan please. She was speaking to Barry Tutty recently and was asking for more information about the clubhouse.

After a couple of years fund raising and receiving a grant from Sport England in July 2012, we were able to replace our small hut with a lovely new clubhouse. Work started in February 2013 with members of the club preparing the ground and foundations ready for the erection of the new building which was officially opened on 5th June 2013.

We are currently fundraising for a ramp into the clubhouse, making it wheelchair friendly.

Regards, Valerie Davey Club Secretary