Thanet Archery Club will be run from a new base after signing a four-year deal with airport site owners RSP to use land and a building at Manston.
The club has been based at St Lawrence College in Ramsgate for the past 15 years.
The new facilities are expected to be ready in early 2023 and the club will be offering have-a-go days and beginner’s courses to the community. The have-a-go days will be open to anybody and beginners courses open to anyone aged 12 and above. The events will be posted on the Thanet Archery Club website. The club will also offer corporate events if required.
Club chairman Mike Davis said: “Thanet Archery Club would like to thank all at St Lawrence College, Ramsgate for hosting our club over the past 15 years. They have provided space and storage and been open to us using their grounds for all our activities. In return the club has supplied lessons to the students and run summer camp activities for the attendees.
“Thanet Archery Club has signed a four year lease to use land and a building at Manston. The new lease will allow all forms of Archery to take place and allow archers to practice more freely.”
Thanet Archery Club has been giving people the opportunity to take part in archery for more than 70 years. During that time, the club has moved about the area, shooting in Cliffsend, Broadstairs, Birchington-on-Sea and St Lawrence College, Ramsgate. The membership has fluctuated but recently it has grown and the club is flourishing.
The club caters everyone from 12 years old and above and all abilities and has been the starting point for several county target archers and even to national and International level.
During the club’s existence it has catered for disabled archers, people with learning difficulties and sight impaired archers and has links with TADSAD Archery (Thanet and District Sports Association for the Disabled) with a number of members also members or volunteer helpers at TADSAD.
Recently the club has enjoyed a strong junior membership. It also runs a myriad of novelty, internal, open and inter-club competitions and has, in the past, hosted county and UK record status shoots.
