Origins

Osprey Archers was formed in 1972 as a naval personnel and associates club by Chief Petty Officer Tony Key. The club was based in H.M.S. Osprey (Portland Navy base) hence the name.

The outdoor venues during this period were:

1. The outdoor rifle range
2. Officers playing field
3. The air station
4. The Churchill field

The indoor venue was The Flying Fish club in H.M.S. Osprey until this was condemned when a gun club member shot through the floor and into the pool table below, and then Boscawen centre.

Original club badge

Evolution

Over time the naval archers left the club leaving it with a few associate members and the club moved to the Weymouth Rugby Club and became an open club. The membership increased and all the members joined the Rugby Club as payment for using the field, this also had the advantage of the use of the social club. All went well until we were told to pay £400 within 3 weeks or our use of the field would cease, there were Borstal officers in the club at the time and within a week we had relocated to the secure (Ha! Ha!) Portland Y.O.I. stadium, which suffered more vandalism than at any other venue.

The indoor venue had become a narrow first floor area at the Redlands Sports Centre.

In 1996 the outdoor venue then moved a short distance to the cricket ground where we stayed for many years but increasing access problems among other things led to us moving again in 2009 to our present location at Buckland Ripers which was created with the help of a Grassroots grant from the Bournemouth, Poole and Dorset Community Forum.

In this period we have moved indoor venues twice, first from Redlands in 1996 to a barn at Moor Farm where we stayed for several years until 2004 when we moved once again to the sports hall of Weymouth College, our present location.

2000 badge

Field courses.

Starting in 1994 the club held members only days on Moor Farm which then expanded to full NFAS open competitions in March 1997, this then increased to 2 competitions a year and in 2004 we left Moor Farm to set up at our current location at Buckland Ripers.

Activities in the community

Over the years we have provided have-a-go’s or taster sessions for:

1. Borstal Bash
2. Chickerell School fete
3. Radipole School fete
4. Royal Manor School
5. Budmouth Technology College sports day
6. Weymouth College open day
7. Portland Steam Fair
8. Dorset Actionairres
9. Southill day centre
10. University of the third age
11. Phoenix Legacy
12. BBC Thrillseeker
13. Bridport ladies group
14. Melbury country sports day
15. Cattistock fete

Present day badge

Present day

This year the club held its first open GNAS competition a triple shoot consisting of Target, clout and field all on the same day. Although attendance was not high we hope that this will evolve into an annual tournament that is welcomed among the local archers. Also we have just received another grant that will help us to continue promoting archery in the South Dorset area.

Future

The club will be 40 years old in Olympic year which will also be the 15^th year of our field competitions. Let us hope we are still here and thriving then and in the future.