Archers to take part in 24-hour charity marathon

The fundraising event will take place at Archery GB's Performance Archery Centre

British Olympic and Paralympic archers are to take part in a 24-hour archery marathon.

The fundraising event is due to start at 12:00 GMT on Thursday at Lilleshall National Sports Centre in Shropshire.

It is supporting the Access Archery Fund, which was set up to increase disabled people's participation in the sport.

The public have been invited to take part too, and see the Performance Archery Centre, where Britain's top archers train.

Archery GB said visitors could bring their own bow or borrow a beginner bow, and get instructions on how to use it.

They will be able to shoot at least 6 arrows in exchange for a suggested donation of £5 collected on the day, and have been invited to book a slot online.

Among athletes taking part will be the Tokyo Paralympic champion Phoebe Paterson Pine, the Paris gold medallist Nathan Macqueen and Olympians Penny Healey, Megan Havers and Alex Wise.

The total distance their arrows cover will be plotted on a map, with the aim of covering the distance to Los Angeles, where the next Olympic and Paralympic Games will be held.

Supporting disabled archers

The Access Archery Fund was launched this year by national governing body Archery GB and the Fletchers' Trust, the charitable arm of the Worshipful Company of Fletchers, which supports disabled archers from grassroots to Paralympic level.

Gayle Pink, head of participation at Archery GB, said: "This fund will enable clubs and providers to be more inclusive and offer everyone a route into archery."