The EFAA is committed to getting our archers back to Field Archery as soon as possible, but within the current guidance to ensure the safety of all its members.

You will find our latest COVID 19 documents and advice here.

The plea from the Committee is if you have any symptoms of COVID19, please stay home and do not venture out.

For the latest Government advice please see https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

Action Plan

Risk Assessment

Guidance For Classifications

Advise Regarding Returning To Shooting

Shooting Guidance For Clubs Update 17-05-2021

Shooting Guidance For The Spring Champs 2021

The Government has announced that the lifting of legal restrictions will happen on Monday 19th July 2021. However, the messages coming out of Government and their advisers is that we need to still take things slowly.

The recommendation is therefore that whilst outside at EFAA grounds face coverings need not be worn. It would be recommended however that when people are within communal buildings i.e. the club huts that face coverings are continued to be used, especially where social distancing cannot be maintained.

It is also suggested that shoot organisers and bow inspectors continue to wear face coverings as they will come into close contact with a lot of archers at the shoots.

Archers should continue to bring hand gel with them and continue to keep their hands clean, and to practice good respiratory hygiene.

As always, all archers who feel unwell should not leave home, they should be aware of the latest advice regarding Covid-19 and its symptoms and act accordingly. Advice available at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

EFAA Committee

Having looked at the latest Government data regarding the Delta variant and its continued rise across the country the EFAA have taken further decisions regarding the Spring Championships.

1. Your EFFA cards will be stamped at registration and you will be required to fill in the scores either from your cards each day or from the scores published on the website
2. Score cards will need to be completed as normal if records are to be claimed, the tournaments officer will pass them to the Incentives officer for processing
3. The Committee have made the decision not to hold a prizegiving after the shoot finishes on Sunday, but to get archers away as soon as possible. Winners patches will be posted out on Monday 28^th June when the results are published on the website.

Just to bring to your attention the symptoms for the Delta variant which the Government have not yet listed, are headaches, sore throats, runny nose and fever. If you have any of those symptoms which can be similar to hay fever (apart from the fever) please take a PCR test before you travel and only come if it is negative or if you have any of the other symptoms please do not travel unless you have had a negative PCR test.

EFAA Committee

Shooting Guidance for the EFAA Spring Champs has been issued

EFAA Committee

Updated Shooting Guidance for Clubs document has been updated.

EFAA Committee

Following the announcement by the Prime Minister on  22^nd February the EFAA Committee have updated there Guidance for Archers and Clubs. The updated documents are available in the download section above.

EFAA Committee

As a result of the announcement from the Prime Minister this evening the following has been posted on the Government website:

Sports and physical activity

Indoor gyms and sports facilities will remain closed. Outdoor sports courts, outdoor gyms, golf courses, outdoor swimming pools, archery/driving/shooting ranges and riding arenas must also close. Organised outdoor sport for disabled people is allowed to continue.

Further advice can be found here https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/949536/NationalLockdownGuidance.pdf

Many thanks for your help and support with this,

EFAA Committee

The latest guidance we have received from the Government states

Tier 4 – Stay at Home

You should not travel out of the tier 4 area.

Sports and physical activity

Archery courses may stay open for individual exercise and for people to use with others in their household, support bubble or with one other person from another household. Organised sports are only allowed for under 18’s and disabled people.

Therefore the EFAA Committee advice is that if you are in Tier 4 your club can remain open for individual practice, practice within household groups or two people may meet up but must remain socially distant (a distance of 2meters). There must not be any organised shoots and of course you must have the agreement of the landowners.

All other tiers remain as before.

EFAA Committee

We have updated our guidance and risk assessment in preparation for the return of shooting on 2^nd December 2020. Please be aware of what tier you live in and take the appropriate action.

Please remember do not leave home if you have a new continuous cough, feel hot to the touch or have a change to your taste and smell. If you experience and of these symptoms please stay at home, get in touch with NHS 111 on line or by phone if you do not have access and act on their advice.

EFAA Committee

Following the announcement last night from the Prime Minister and confirmation from the Government vote on Wednesday 4^th November, the EFAA Committee need to inform all members that from 5^th November until 3^rd December (although this may be extended) all archery courses must close for this period of time. Should this change we will of course keep you all updated.

Guidance published tonight on the Government website https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-national-restrictions-from-5-november#businesses-and-venues

Your continued support is very much appreciated

EFAA Committee

As you may have seen there are Government Track and Trace QR Codes going up wherever you go for you to log into with your NHS Track and Trace App. We have advised club secretaries that whilst it is not considered compulsory to apply for a QR Code for their club, it may strengthen their Track and Trace systems. So as a Committee we would ask you, if you have the ability, via your mobile phone to scan the QR codes for any club you are visiting, where they are displayed.

Archery and the Three Tier COVID 19 System 15.10.2020

Government advice has again changed as to what we can and cannot do, this time depending on where we live and on the rates of infection in the area, this is what it means for EFAA archery.

Tier Three – the highest level

If you live in an area covered by tier three you must not travel outside of that area to attend archery shoots or to practice. You may continue to shoot and practice within your household groups and support bubble but only within the Tier Three area.

You must not meet with more than five other people (max group of 6) outdoors.

Organised events (classification shoots) can continue but only with people who are from the Tier Three area and in groups of not more than 6, a “rolling start” must be used.

You should also aim to reduce the number of journeys that you make, avoiding public transport if possible.

Tier Two – high risk areas

If you live in a Tier Two area you may continue to attend archery events, both classification and practice) but not congregate in groups of more than six. Therefore, in these areas a “rolling start” must be used for archery events and people must leave the clubs as soon as they have completed their round.

You may travel to classification events outside of your area but should avoid public transport if possible. You should not share a car with someone not in your household or support bubble.

Tier One – medium risk

If you live in a Tier One area you may continue to attend archery events, both practice and classification. The rule of six still applies and as such you should leave the club as soon as you are able following the shoot and not congregate in groups of more than six.

A “rolling start” is recommended but a “normal muster start” is acceptable if there is enough space to be socially distant from people who are not in your household or support bubble.

In all areas the advice that has been provided to club secretaries regarding PPE and managing shoots; practice, fun and classifications remains in place and will be reviewed as the Government advice changes.

Please note – any archer that feels unwell, is in a household where there is an infected person or who has been asked to self-isolate MUST NOT leave their home and travel to a shoot even if they do not have symptoms. You do not have to show symptoms to be carrying the virus.

Following the success of the trial run at Black Eagle we have now issued guidance to club secretaries about how to run classifications safely. The Committee must stress that restarting classifications is purely at the discretion of the clubs and the landowners, it is by no means compulsory.

Yesterday the Government announced that groups of more than six people may not meet socially either inside or outside from Monday 14^th September. The Black Eagle trial Classification will go ahead as planned this weekend, barring any further immediate regulations, but we will have to review the guidance following this latest legislation.

Further guidance will be issued to club secretaries after Monday 14^th September.

Our aim as always is to get people back to shooting as soon but as safely as possible.

As most of you will be aware, before we can consider the re-opening of all shoots, including classification shoots, we must prove to the UK Government that we are covid-19 safe. As required, we have submitted a Covid-19 Risk Assessment and an Action Plan for the Re-opening of Shoots to the Government Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport, for their consideration and approval. Until we receive DCMS approval of the submitted documents, we cannot make any progress on this issue. DCMS respond reasonably quickly to general correspondence but, this is a specific situation and unfortunately, we are still awaiting a reply. We assume that we are one of many sports associations in the same position. Hence, the slow progress. We will continue to communicate with DCMS and will hopefully be in a position, to update you with more positive news sooner, rather than later.

EFAA COMMITTEE

The EFAA Committee have completed the COVID 19 risk assessment and action plan to get us back to shooting properly.

We have submitted these document to the DCMS (Digital, Culture, Media and Sport - Government department), for agreement to allow us to shoot as normally as possible.

If we get approval from the Government we will be trialling our ‘new normal’ at Black Eagle Bowmen at their shoot in September and evaluate if we need to make any changes. Once this is complete the documents will be sent to all club secretaries, for them to use at their clubs.

The EFAA would like to update its members on the actions that are currently taking place to get people back to the sport that we all love. The Government have said that outdoor sports can resume as long as they are COVID 19  safe. So the Committee have to assure the Government via the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport that we have put everything that is needed into place and reduced all of the risks to an absolute minimum.

We are required to provide them with a detailed Risk Assessment and even more detailed Action Plan on how we will do that and what systems and processes are in place to ensure the safety of our archers. Until this has been approved by the Governments department we will not be able to run EFAA sanctioned shoots (classifications and national/international events).

That said we realise that people want to start shooting at different courses and perhaps try to hold a fun shoot, perhaps to generate a little income, so we have produced guidance for clubs to use – which has been sent to all club secretaries, if they want to and indeed if their landowners will allow. It is entirely up to each club to decide how far they want to open their club up to other EFAA members, not the committee.

Should you require any further information or advice please email tournaments@efaafieldarcher.com, Lesley has been working on this for us and is happy to answer your queries.

EFAA Committee

The EFAA Committee have today taken the decision to cancel the two remaining National shoots this year. A full explanation will be provided within the Field Archer due on your doormats in July. It is with regret that we have taken this decision but the safety of our members must be our first priority. Thank you for your understanding at these difficult times. The EFAA Committee

EFAA Committee

The EFAA Committee have today sent guidance to all EFAA Club Secretaries regarding how they may safely open their woods for club members to practice following the relaxation of the initial lockdown for COVID 19. This will depend on the agreement of the owner of the wood and the ability of the clubs to manage the guidance put in place.

The guidance requires every EFAA club member to play their part in keeping themselves and their fellow archers safe so please abide by the guidance and be sensible.

At this point in time we can only offer practice to those archers who belong to EFAA clubs so that the amounts of people can be closely monitored, and strict social distancing maintained.

PLEASE – do not leave home if you are feeling at all unwell seek advice from the NHS 111 on-line service.

EFAA Committee

We, along with probably most of you listened intently to the Prime Minister’s communication yesterday in the hope of a small return to what was normal life and to enjoying our sport again. Although there was a glimmer of hope, we think that you will all agree that the proposed changes to government guidelines were vague and lacking detail. Hopefully, the details will become clearer over the next two days and enable us to make decisions and advise you of any changes.

Please be aware, that in the meantime, EFAA advice has not changed and we continue to advise that EFAA clubs remain closed.

We must be 100% confident that any actions we take and any advice we provide does not compromise our insurance. Clubs with courses will also need to ensure that landowners are compliant.

Thank you for your understanding in these challenging times, please be assured that we will do all we can to enable our sport to continue safely and as soon as possible.

EFAA Committee

As you are aware the EFAA committee have decided to cancel all classification shoots up to and including the Spring Team Championships in May. We have now reviewed the situation and unfortunately, due to the current circumstances and unknown future government guidelines, we have now decided that all classification shoots are cancelled until further notice. We will, of course, continue to review the situation and provide further updates as soon as we can.

We also continue to advise that all clubs remain closed until government lock down guidelines are relaxed to such an extent that clubs can safely reopen.

We realise that the loss of income from hosting classification shoots can be financially damaging to some clubs and may compromise the ability to pay rental fees to landowners. If you are in this situation, you should first speak with your landowner to request assistance. However, if the landowner is not amenable the EFAA may be able to offer some assistance. If you are in this position and need financial support, please contact the EFAA General Secretary with details of your club’s situation and financial needs.

We have also decided to cancel the 2020 Spring Championships and Bowhunter Championships. These tournaments will not take place until 2021. If you have already entered the 2020 tournaments, your entry fee will be transferred to the 2021 tournament. We remain hopeful that the 2020 National Championships and the 3D Championships will still take place.

We thank you for your support and understanding during these difficult times.

Take care and stay safe.

EFAA Committee

While we are all adjusting and adapting our lives to follow government guidelines, one question has now been raised several times.

“Does the EFAA Public Liability Insurance cover me if I shoot at home in my garden?”

PLEASE BE AWARE THAT IT DOES NOT.

Stay safe and well everyone, hopefully we will back out in the woods before too long.

A useful link for our clubs that use or have access to Forestry Commission land.

www.forestryengland.uk/coronavirus-visitor-information

As you are all aware, the EFAA committee have recently cancelled all classification shoots up to and including the Spring Team Championships in May. The committee will re assess the situation at that time and advise accordingly.

In addition, following the recent government guidelines, in these unprecedented times, your EFAA committee now advise that all members / EFAA clubs should follow government advice, stay at home and not make any unnecessary journeys. Ultimately, the decision is down to individual clubs but If you decide that it is really necessary to travel to your club ground to practice, if you are travelling alone or in a family group, you may put other people at risk.

Stay safe and save lives.

If you do visit your club and are unfortunate to have an accident, it may compromise the EFAA Insurance cover. If you intend travelling to a club with its own insurance and the landowner is happy for shooting to continue, we can only advise that you comply with all current government advice.

EFAA Committee

Following the latest advice from the UK government, in the best interests of members safety, the EFAA committee have taken the decision that all EFAA shoots, including classification shoots be cancelled with immediate affect up to and including the 2020 Spring Championships. We will re assess the situation at that time and readvise accordingly. We will also attempt to reschedule the Spring Championships.

Please note shoot entries have now been removed from the online shoot calendar