Deer Park Archers has made the shortlist for the 2011 National Sports Club of the Year award organised by the Sport & Recreation Alliance.

The judging panel was chaired by BBC Sport’s Eleanor Oldroyd, and the winner will be announced at a gala dinner in central London on 3 May. Former England cricketer and ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ winner Mark Ramprakash will present the award.

Ashbourne Golf Club, City of Sheffield Basketball Club, Knebworth Sports Club, New Earswick and District Indoor Bowls Club and University of Birmingham Volleyball Club are the other organisations shortlisted with Deer Park Archers.

Deer Park Archers is a Clubmark club, and members of Gloucestershire Archery Society, based on the outskirts of Cheltenham, drawing members from Cheltenham, Gloucester, and a 20 mile radius across the Cotswolds.

”This is wonderful news, and obviously we’re all very excited about it,” said Deer Park Archers’ Club Development Officer & Coach, Roger Crang.

“Six of us are going to the awards night in London, including John Craigie, our 2010 Clubman of the Year, Dan Gill our Head Junior Coach and Steph Crang our Club Head Coach, who are two of our coaches that invest so much effort in our higher performing archers and junior development programmes.”

Last year Deer Park Archers won the ‘Gloucestershire Young Club of the Year’ Award, along with a number of other local awards.

“What have we done to deserve this latest acknowledgement? Well, all we’ve done is to apply the principles that Archery GB's Development Team encourage - ensuring that we keep a balanced focus on competition, family, social, coaching support for all abilities, community, business, volunteering, and most of all have fun!” said Roger.

 “We do put a lot of effort, in but that is more than compensated with what we get out. Are we the finished article, definitely not, as we solve one challenge we replace it with others, a bit like our sport really.

“One of our key principles is to work with the local community and the Society. This honour is even better as we do not have any facilities of our own!”

The Club has grown from 30 to over 200 members, having trebled in size in just four years, with around 60 per cent of them being juniors. They run after-school clubs every day of the week, and on some days two on the same day, with over 170 pupils currently attending.

Together with regular beginners courses, these after-school clubs form the major part of their member recruitment process, as well as a rich source of potential coaches and volunteers.

Deer Park Archers are active members of the ontarget programme, and were recently awarded £1,500 to lead an eight day Junior Archer development programme which is open to the top junior archers across the County.

Pictured are international archers Duncan Busby and Nicky Hunt with junior members of Deer Park Archers.