Blind Veterans UK Bowmen compete at Arundel Castle

The Blind Veterans UK Bowmen, an archery club supporting blind and visually impaired veterans, will take on teams from the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force in a long-standing competition for the Household Division Cup. The Bowmen are the current holders of the trophy. The British Army normally competes in this event but is unable to attend this year.

The annual event has been running for over 25 years and has previously taken place at some of the UK’s most iconic locations, including Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London and Windsor Castle. This year, the spectacular grounds of Arundel Castle will provide the backdrop for the competition.

The Blind Veterans UK Bowmen offer visually impaired veterans the opportunity to participate in archery within a supportive, inclusive environment. Members build confidence, improve coordination and enjoy the physical and social benefits of sport. The club currently has 22 members and continues to grow, welcoming new veterans each year.

Archers use specialist adaptive equipment, including tactile sights mounted on tripods and guidance from trained spotters, enabling them to shoot with remarkable accuracy and independence.

Blind Veterans UK was founded in 1915 by publisher and newspaper owner Sir Arthur Pearson, who lost his own sight. Originally known as St Dunstan’s, the charity was established to support veterans blinded during the First World War. Today, it provides rehabilitation, training and lifelong support to vision-impaired veterans across the UK, helping them adjust to sight loss, regain independence and live fulfilling lives.

Clive Jones, Chairman of the Blind Veterans UK Bowmen, was blinded while serving in the British Army and has been supported by the charity since 2000. Introduced to archery through Blind Veterans UK, he is currently the British Blind Sport indoor national champion, an International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) world silver medallist, and ranked number four in Europe and number six in the world.

Commenting on this year’s event, which will be sponsored by Clickers Archery of Norwich, Clive said: “Our club is about more than archery; we bring people together and build camaraderie like they experienced in the Armed Forces, and show our members that anything is possible. We look forward to shooting against the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force again in June. Not only are we competitive archers, but we are friends, and this inter-service rivalry is what we all enjoy.”

Andrew Lewis, Castle Manager at Arundel Castle, added: “We are delighted that the Blind Veterans UK Bowmen have selected Arundel Castle as the venue for this prestigious sporting event. We look forward to welcoming all the competitors in June and helping to raise awareness of the work done by this incredible charity.”

The public is invited to come along and support the men and women taking part, and find out more about Blind Veterans UK and how it is helping ex-servicemen and women rebuild their lives following sight loss. Regular entry prices apply with Garden-only tickets available at www.arundelcastle.org, priced at £17 per adult and £8 per child - see website for further details. Children under five years old can enter for free.