AGB Advice for returning to shooting 13/5/20

KidCurry

Well-known member
AIUK Saviour
.... most likely lapse is hand contact with something followed by the hand going to the face. Gloves are no help in that situation.
I can just imagine a score pad coming out and a head being scratched or the pencil getting a lick!! Turning to a new page in the score pad...lick the fingers!!
I think you are absolutely right. With all the awareness and precautions rammed in to us every day we are still getting 3,500 detected new cases every day :( you only need to make one mistake. Eventually we may have to learn to live with it but for now I can wait a bit longer.
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
I think you are absolutely right. With all the awareness and precautions rammed in to us every day we are still getting 3,500 detected new cases every day :( you only need to make one mistake. Eventually we may have to learn to live with it but for now I can wait a bit longer.
What bothers me a little is the assumption, in some instances, that archers must shoot at standard targets and shoot a round.
That creates a risky situation that can be avoided or significantly reduced. AGB recognises that sharing a target face is dangerous and needs to be avoided. But what seems to follow in the minds of some, is to make using target faces safer, by having one per archer.
Why not cover the boss with a big black bin liner and make a gigantic Worcester face with a white paper plate in the middle using one target pin?
After three months out of archery hitting that might be challenge enough. Cleaning a bin liner should be more successful than trying to clean a straw boss.
 

KidCurry

Well-known member
AIUK Saviour
I think the process from AGB is two people set up the boss. Then the archer comes along with their own face and pins it to the boss. No need to touch the boss. When finished the archer takes the pins and face home. No need for cleaning. Next time the archer shoots they bring the same face and same process. If you can avoid creating a situation that needs cleaning afterwards you are halfway to being safe at least.
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
Thanks for that.
I just had an imaginary fitting of a small face onto a boss. I would naturally hold up the paper with fingers on the back of the face and place the paper against the boss with that hand. Thumb on the front, fingers behind touching the boss and then push in a pin.
I can see another way to do it so there would be no contact.... must remember to use that!!
 

Kerf

Supporter
Supporter
AIUK Saviour
I feel very much at odds with the majority with respect to starting to shoot again.
After two or three months without shooting, I am thinking that I would be more than overjoyed, just to be able to shoot some arrows. I would happily shoot them into the grass apart from the fact it would waste other archers' time while I try finding them.
I would be more than happy to shoot at a paper plate and use one target pin. Not because it's cheaper, but the risks are fewer.
Why would anyone want to waste their valuable time scoring? Why would those who aren't scoring want to be kept waiting while others score arrows?
Having watched shoppers going the wrong way following arrows on the floor, I feel that there is a real danger that making archery as much like normal as possible actually increases the risks that we will creep back into old ways.
My feelings are that it should feel as different as possible, apart from making our shots.
Making it feel different helps to keep us in the "stay alert" mind set.
Nice post. Very good points made.
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
Thanks Kerf,
I can see that I might be over reacting a bit on this, but we can always relax later on, if required. Starting too "softly" and having to tighten up later might be harder; and possibly too late.
 

Corax67

Well-known member
You won’t be able to shoot a round - the AGB guidelines say not to move the bosses once set out so it’s a case of putting your own target face of choice on the preset boss and shooting some arrows in a safe (overshoots, etc) and controlled environment.

We are going to give our members the choice of 122cm target or novelty faces, all of which we will supply free from our club stocks, which they will keep and reuse. No score books will be issued but we won’t stop archers using personal electronic devices if they wish.


As a nominated “setting up” person I have supplied a modified Safe System of Work operated within my company. We will use lined industrial gloves - fabric back & puncture resistant palms similar to those used by builders, etc, - and wear FFP3 respirator masks. On collecting the targets they will be sprayed with a disinfectant prior to being handled. Once the field has been taken down we can then clean ourselves. All used PPE & paper towels will be double bagged and disposed of via my company’s contaminated waste system.

My 3 fellow “setter uppers” (only 2 will operate per session) have received detailed instruction in correct use of all items which includes putting on & removal without transferring any contaminants onto skin. I’ve also face fit tested each individual with their masks as an ill fitting mask is worse than no mask at all since it leads to a false sense of security. As we are all spectacle wearers goggles were deemed to be unnecessary - simply to prevent a gloved hand wiping an eye.

This may seem like overkill especially as we four are not in any ‘at risk’ category - which is why we volunteered - but with these precautions in place the risk of exposure becomes negligible and AGB guidelines are exceeded.

A high level of interest has already been received back from members, all of whom will receive a full set of guidelines by email then reply in writing (email) that they have read and accepted all terms prior to being allowed to shoot.



Let’s just hope after all this the weather holds 😁


Karl
 

Mark2

Active member
AIUK Saviour
Looking at how some people are interpreting social distancing I suspect the government will have to re-introduce controls in the near future anyhow. I suspect clubs will struggle too, as people give in to laziness and break protocol, or you have to stand down wind of someone coughing, thinking 2m is adequate. If we push our luck it will all backfire.
 

Mark2

Active member
AIUK Saviour
Thanks Kerf,
I can see that I might be over reacting a bit on this, but we can always relax later on, if required. Starting too "softly" and having to tighten up later might be harder; and possibly too late.
I don't think you are over reacting..We are only two months into at least a 12 month problem, if not significantly longer.
 

KidCurry

Well-known member
AIUK Saviour
...This may seem like overkill especially as we four are not in any ‘at risk’ category -
Not at all overkill. If you contract the virus you represent a risk to more vulnerable people. As the country opens up people need to be more careful not less.
 

Whitehart

Well-known member
At this time many clubs need to make a decision about booking their indoor venue for 20/21 - how many have done so and think that we will have an indoor season?
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
You won’t be able to shoot a round - the AGB guidelines say not to move the bosses once set out so it’s a case of putting your own target face of choice on the preset boss and shooting some arrows in a safe (overshoots, etc) and controlled environment.

We are going to give our members the choice of 122cm target or novelty faces, all of which we will supply free from our club stocks, which they will keep and reuse. No score books will be issued but we won’t stop archers using personal electronic devices if they wish.


As a nominated “setting up” person I have supplied a modified Safe System of Work operated within my company. We will use lined industrial gloves - fabric back & puncture resistant palms similar to those used by builders, etc, - and wear FFP3 respirator masks. On collecting the targets they will be sprayed with a disinfectant prior to being handled. Once the field has been taken down we can then clean ourselves. All used PPE & paper towels will be double bagged and disposed of via my company’s contaminated waste system.

My 3 fellow “setter uppers” (only 2 will operate per session) have received detailed instruction in correct use of all items which includes putting on & removal without transferring any contaminants onto skin. I’ve also face fit tested each individual with their masks as an ill fitting mask is worse than no mask at all since it leads to a false sense of security. As we are all spectacle wearers goggles were deemed to be unnecessary - simply to prevent a gloved hand wiping an eye.

This may seem like overkill especially as we four are not in any ‘at risk’ category - which is why we volunteered - but with these precautions in place the risk of exposure becomes negligible and AGB guidelines are exceeded.

A high level of interest has already been received back from members, all of whom will receive a full set of guidelines by email then reply in writing (email) that they have read and accepted all terms prior to being allowed to shoot.



Let’s just hope after all this the weather holds 😁


Karl
Some clubs are already planning to shoot rounds by putting two bosses in one lane at different distances; just as a single household can have two bosses in their lane for two distances.
 

olis

Supporter
Supporter
At this time many clubs need to make a decision about booking their indoor venue for 20/21 - how many have done so and think that we will have an indoor season?
I suspect that unless things change a lot in the next few months (and I don't think they will) most clubs can't shoot indoors this Winter.
Our club has one evening a week in a small sports hall and we lose money doing that. Fewer people would make the whole thing a complete non-starter economically. Healthwise I can shoot in gloves but probably not a mask. So my guess is frostbite outdoors or nothing.
 

bimble

Well-known member
Supporter
Fonz Awardee
Ironman
AIUK Saviour
in all fairness, sports halls might not be open for sports that can't social distance... we've no idea what random rules the government might be employing by the indoor season... we could be in a second lockdown as winter flu season hits us...
 

Corax67

Well-known member
Some clubs are already planning to shoot rounds by putting two bosses in one lane at different distances; just as a single household can have two bosses in their lane for two distances.
Now that’s a good option - obviously a fair bit more work for the field team but if you have the room to accommodate the extra spacing & they are up for it then why not. By having the archers place a separate face on each boss rather than move their one face at distance change then boss contact is kept to a minimum too.


Karl
 

Corax67

Well-known member
At this time many clubs need to make a decision about booking their indoor venue for 20/21 - how many have done so and think that we will have an indoor season?
I can’t see an indoor season in all honesty for any club that doesn’t own their own venue which is single user.

I shoot occasional indoor with Allington Castle who use Maidstone indoor market hall, this is a multi-user venue hosting auctions & boot sales as well as Friday night archery. Currently there is width for 10 bosses & a very snug shooting line or for comps 20 bosses with two ranks shooting back to back.

A quick guesstimate & I think a max of 4 bosses might be available and definitely no comps but there arises the question of what cleaning/disinfecting regime is in place by the local authority who own and operate the venue.


An example is our large church hall - it formerly hosted a daily pre-school, 3 evening dance classes, 1 evening drama group, 1 evening youth group plus 3 different afternoon clubs such as crafting & scrabble along with a host of weekend activities.

As at last Sunday PCC is still unable to allow any of these to recommence, despite requests to do so, as they cannot create a sufficiently robust SSoW for all parties to ensure their bio-security.

We‘ve already taken the hard decision to cancel our annual October charity model railway show as it is physically impossible to implement 2m social distancing or some form of one way system - we strongly believe social distancing will not be relaxed this year and are not alone in cancelling our event.

We prefer to reach Christmas thinking “what if we had..” rather than “If only we hadn’t...”



Karl
 

Corax67

Well-known member
in all fairness, sports halls might not be open for sports that can't social distance... we've no idea what random rules the government might be employing by the indoor season... we could be in a second lockdown as winter flu season hits us...
Multiple lockdowns are definitely not out of the question - heaven forbid we reach winter and experience a C-19 spike alongside a flu outbreak which would be catastrophic.


Karl
 

dvd8n

Supporter
Supporter
AIUK Saviour
I suspect that unless things change a lot in the next few months (and I don't think they will) most clubs can't shoot indoors this Winter.
I was thinking that myself. It may be outdoors or nothing this winter.

Most of our club kit is locked up in the local school at the moment so that's going to be a challenge too.
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
I have just filled in the survey from AGB Learning Curve. They are asking about how we feel about getting back to coaching.
My message was that I felt archers would want to get back to shooting without distractions and that coaching is better done in the usual atmosphere generated between coach and archers. Working and staying alert is the wrong atmosphere. Trying to be normal is also likely to lead the dropping our guards as things appearing to be normal can persuade us that they are.
 
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