Andrew Miller MP for Ellesmere Port & Neston took part in an archery tournament at Westminster.  This was an historical event  as it was the first ever sporting contest to be held on Speaker's Green.  Andrew thoroughly enjoyed his first experience of using a bow and arrow but the archers preparing for next year's London Olympic Games need not worry about a potential new threat to their places on the squad!

Andrew said, “I enjoyed trying my hand at archery and appreciate the skills of top archers who make the sport look so easy but I was only trying to reach a target 10 meters away they aim for a target at 70 meters.  It's great fun, and very addictive - once you start you keep wanting to go back and improve your score.”

Andrew continued, “Archery is a sport which is open to everyone, whatever their age, physique, able bodied or disabled.  It therefore makes it an ideal family sport.”

The event was organised by the sport's Parliamentary Sponsor Huw Irranca-Davies MP, as part of Archery GB's 150th anniversary celebrations, and to promote the sport ahead of next year's Olympics. MPs and Peers were invited to come and join in the fun, with Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt being the first to hit the boss.

Only recently archery came out on top in an opinion poll of young people throughout the country when asked about the Olympic sport they would most like to take up if given the chance. Archery received 27 per cent of the vote in that poll, nine points more than swimming, which came second.

The archery tournament at the London 2012 Olympic Games takes place at Lords, between July 27 and August 3.

For further information visit: www.archerygb.org
Follow us on Twitter @archerygb

For further information about the Parliamentary Sports Fellowship Scheme:
www.sportengland.org

Ends

September 16^th 2011