31 Jul 2026
Back in April, we were delighted to award several clubs funding as part of our refreshed Club Development Fund (CDF). The CDF is a key part of our 2025-29 Supporting Our Archery Community Strategic Plan,  which aims to support and grow the number of children & young people within archery and make archery an inclusive sport for everyone. This fund aims to support and empower passionate clubs in creating sustainable opportunities which make archery more accessible to people and provide uplifting archery experiences for all.
The funding support was available through the following grants; clubs were able to apply for up to a maximum of £450:
Starter Grant – New affiliated clubs (operating 6 months or less)
Junior Grant – Existing affiliated clubs to provide new or grow junior archery section as part of club
Disability Inclusion Grant – Existing clubs to access funding towards disability archery activity, training & development that provides additional opportunities for those with a disability
Meeting Community Need Grant – For projects undertaken by affiliated clubs to encourage participation in archery and achieve wider social outcomes supporting issues facing local communities
The grant to Lasswade Archery Club (LAC) supported the purchase of a para-archery stool, to assist archers who are struggling to shoot standing due to a variety of conditions. The club has Archers with disabilities who are awaiting surgery for orthopaedic conditions, who struggle to balance, and a host of other conditions.
Committee Member and Coach Adelle Fleming shared the positive impact the funding has had on individuals within the club:
‘‘We are an ageing club and would like our archers to continue to shoot for as long as they get pleasure from the sport.
The club also has links in the community to lifelong learning, and LGBT+ groups .We have a significant number of archers who identify as disabled.
Our report features one of our archers who has been shooting for 15 years and was on the point of giving up archery because of her condition.
Our archer has been working with a coach at the club to adapt to seated shooting and is now successfully using the stool at every session, both indoors and outdoors. She also plans to borrow the stool in order to compete.
Having the stool has made an enormous difference to our archer’s ability to participate fully in shooting sessions at the club. She is able to conserve her energy and so is able to shoot for longer, and it much reduces the back and joint pain she was suffering after sessions (which on occasion saw her barely able to walk afterwards). The stool is lightweight, easy to assemble and adjust, and is portable for taking to competitions as the legs can be removed for transport.
The stool will also help other seated archers on the range in the future.
Lasswade Archery Club would like to thank the Club Development Fund for the award that allowed the club to purchase the stool’’
Prestwick St Cuthbert Archery Club were also recipients of the fund, with the grant going towards supporting the upskilling of coaches and volunteers in disability inclusion. Coaches were able to attend the Archery GB Coaching Archers with a Disability course in May. One of the attendees, Craig Paterson, the club’s Vice Chair, Secretary, Tournament Organiser and Coach shared the positive impact this has had:
‘‘The funding has made a significant difference to our club by helping us become more inclusive and accessible for everyone. It has enabled us to better support disabled archers, ensuring they have the equipment, facilities, and coaching opportunities needed to participate fully in the sport.
The knowledge and experience gained through this funding has also been shared with our wider membership, helping coaches and volunteers develop a greater understanding of inclusive practice and creating a more welcoming environment for all.
Most importantly, the funding has reinforced our commitment to making archery as inclusive as possible. Regardless of age, ability, background, or identity, we want everyone to feel that they belong at our club and have the opportunity to enjoy and progress in the sport.’’
Partnership working has been key to the success between the newly formed Aberdeen City Archers (ACA) and Aberdeen University Archery Club (AUAC). AUAC as part of the fund received support to purchase soft archery equipment which will provide the resources to deliver a local schools outreach programme. The aim is to encourage more young people to try archery, enjoy the sport and experience the benefits to their health & wellbeing. Long-term, the club hopes to see a transition as children and young people join ACA to experience full archery in a club environment.
Louisa Gilpin, Treasurer of AUAC added:
‘’The funding is going to offer a lot of great opportunities in our future, ones that we wouldn't be able to achieve with our own internal funds. It's going to be really exciting seeing how much our existing and new members alike will be able to grow with the aid we can secure with the grant.’’
Finally, Lauderdale Archery Club have experienced positive outcomes for juniors attending their beginner sessions. When young participants need to move onto slightly heavier limbs (so they can be more accurate) the club found that as they did not have heavier limbs the juniors would get frustrated quickly and give up with archery. Parents we unable to purchase archery equipment at the early stages of the sport. The funding has reduced the financial barriers for young people and overall providing a better experience.
LAC’s Natalie Macdonald, Chairperson and Coach shared an insight into how the funding has benefitted juniors at the club:
‘‘A few of the juniors on the club are trying out the new equipment, bought in mind for those who have completed their beginner course but aren’t ready to commit to their own equipment. Heavier limbs and an improved riser and arrows to match allow some further improvement and progression and have helped retain interest and motivation. Thank you for the funding!’’
A thank you to all the clubs that applied, and we are hoping to reintroduce the fund in the future.
If you are looking for any funding opportunities, check out Funding Scotland here or feel free to get in touch with admin@scottisharchery.org.uk
