Visitors to the first ever GWCT Welsh Game Fair at the Vaynol Estate, Bangor from September 9-11 will be able to try their hand at the ancient sport of archery.
Gwynedd Bowmen, based at The Show Ground at Mona on Anglesey, have agreed to run taster sessions for anyone wishing to try the sport for the first time and those returning to archery after a break.
Would be archers will be charged a modest fee of £1 for shooting five arrows with a recurve bow.
Club secretary Alan Wilkes said: “We would like to introduce as many people to the sport as we can and possibly pick up a few new members. It’s a sport for all ages and abilities and is accessible to those with disabilities.
“The age range of our current membership is between eight and 80 plus years, which includes many ‘senior beginners’. The ‘have a go’ sessions at the GWCT Welsh Game Fair will be ideal for anyone interested in this massively addictive sport.”
Looking forwards to the GWCT Welsh Game Fair, Alan said: “I think it’s a great idea to hold this event at the Vaynol Estate because the road network here is very good. It’s a fantastic location and a beautiful venue to promote the Welsh countryside and country life.”
Gwynedd Bowmen are based at Anglesey Showground, Mona and their regular shooting days are Tuesday and Friday from 6pm to 98pm. The club welcomes everyone from beginners to established archers.
Club member Rhys Jones won gold medals at the NatWest Island Games in Shetland in 2005 and Rhodes in 2007. Ynys Mon, consisting of Gwynedd Bowmen members, won team gold in the recurve category in Rhodes 2007 and also won team of the year in the Anglesey Sports Awards.
In 2013, Ynys Mon, again consisting of Gwynedd Bowmen members, won team bronze in the compound category in Guernsey.
In partnership with The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT), the GWCT Welsh Game Fair is being organised by Stable Events Ltd, which also organises The Game Fair in Warwickshire and The GWCT Scottish Game Fair in Perthshire.
Money raised at the Welsh event will support the GWCT’s charitable work and give a welcome boost to the region, with tourism and visitors contributing to the local economy.
Fishing, clay shooting, gundogs, game cookery, falconry, horses and hounds, as well as rural crafts, food and drink will feature at the event, which is expected to attract people passionate about the countryside, country pursuits and conservation.
Leading Welsh celebrity chef and author Bryn Williams, originally from Denbigh, will be creating a bespoke menu for guests in a VIP Enclosure White Park Restaurant, sponsored by Clogau. He will also take part in live, open-air cooking demonstrations throughout the weekend.
Visitors to the GWCT Welsh Game Fair can look forward to a wide range of attractions, displays, live debates, shopping at hundreds of trade stands and family entertainment, all with a countryside theme.
The event will be a fantastic shop window for the Welsh countryside and promote the unique culture and heritage of Wales. It will also bring together representatives from a range of conservation, farming, field sports and fishing bodies for debates on Welsh rural issues.
The aim is to foster greater communication and co-operation between sectors and promote the benefits of country pursuits and conservation to a wider audience.
