A new, five-year partnership between MCC and the sport's national governing body, The Grand National Archery Society (GNAS), is designed to help British archers excel when they compete in this great sporting event - which will begin in 2,000 days' time.

 

The key elements of the new partnership include:

 

* Training camps for the British archery team being held at Lord's each year from January 2008 onwards;

 

* British archers demonstrating their skills at Lord's during selected major match-days from July 2007 onwards, to help familiarise themselves with the conditions and atmosphere at the Ground - in front of the large crowds and international television audiences they will experience in five years' time;

 

* Annual 'have a go' archery events being staged at Lord's during selected major match-days, again from July 2007 onwards, to increase public interest in the sport and, in the process, help to maximise home support for Britain's competitors in the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games

 

* GNAS coaches using the equipment - which includes state-of-the-art 'Hawkeye' technology - in the newly installed performance analysis suite at Lord's, as training aids for British archers

 

*A  number of fund-raising events being held at Lord's to help ensure that British competitors have the resources they need to reach their full potential; and

 

* Britain's archers having free use of the gymnasium at Lord's, for the next five years, to help them improve their long-term strength and conditioning.

 

In addition, active consideration is being given to staging annual international archery events at the Ground - including, perhaps, GB v Australia in 2009 - to provide elite British archers with invaluable competitive experience at Lord's.

 

Commenting on these initiatives, MCC's secretary and chief executive, Keith Bradshaw, said: "MCC was proud to 'back the bid' from the very start.

 

"Now we want to ensure that British archers can not only compete but succeed here in 2012.

 

"I'm delighted that we'll be working so closely with British competitors - through The Grand National Archery Society - over the next five years. We hope we can help them achieve their medal ambitions at Lord's."

 

GNAS's chief executive, David Sherratt, said: "This is a tremendous package which gives a really big boost to British archery and all our medal aspirations.

 

"We were already looking forward to the London 2012 Olympic Games' archery competition being staged at Lord's.

 

"Now we're doing so with extra optimism and confidence. We're delighted that everyone at Lord's - 'the home of cricket' - is giving British archery such outstanding and sustained support."

 

Sebastian Coe, the chairman of London 2012, said: "This is a great package, which I'm delighted to welcome. It's a real boost for our archers' medal prospects in five years' time.

 

"I'd like to congratulate everyone at MCC and GNAS for developing such a strong, long-term partnership which will help our competitors all the way through to 2012."

 

Sports Minister Richard Caborn said: "I welcome this announcement and have no doubt that this partnership between MCC and GNAS will help our Olympic, and Paralympic, archers in the run-up to 2012.

 

"Lord's is a very special sporting venue; to be able to use it for archery training and competition over the next five years is great news. It will hopefully inspire our young competitors to 'Go for Gold' in the London 2012 Games."

 

British Olympic Association chairman, Colin Moynihan, said: “This is a fantastic example of two sports working together, and a non-Olympic sport providing an extra edge to one of our Olympic sports as we approach the London 2012 Olympic Games.”