For Huddersfield’s Valley Bowmen their aim could not have been bettered.
Their target of raising thousands of pounds to buy their own clubhouse hit the bullseye when the Government agreed to provide £50,000 in a lottery grant.
Yesterday the club, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, held an open day with around 100 people turning out to celebrate the opening of their new pavilion.
Adding a touch of star quality were guests of honour, Olympic archer Amy Oliver from Rotherham, and Colne Valley Tory MP Jason McCartney.
President Will Kempf, a master bowman, said he was delighted with the new facilities.
He added: “In previous years members of the Valley Bowmen of Huddersfield had to be content with a wooden bucket and not much more.
“There are even rumours that we might get wi-fi up here but it’s great to have running water and electricity!”
Will got involved in the sport when his nine-year-old son Tim read the Lord of the Rings in 2004 and watched the movie.
Will added: “I got the bug and have now been shooting for 10 years and am part of the Yorkshire Archery squad.”
Mr McCartney said: “I live down the road in Honley and my daughters, Daisy, 10, and Eleanor, eight, have been here doing taster sessions following the Olympics.
“They only had a shed before so it’s good they can now make tea and coffee and have proper toilets and so on.”
Amy, 26, who competed in the 2012 London Olympics, said: “I had my first archery lesson when I was six-years-old, my grandparents and mum and dad are into it, so I am very keen on taking part in raising awareness of archery.”
The new facilities in Knowle Lane, Meltham, have been named the Farrar Pavilion in recognition of Richard Farrar, the founder member of the Bowmen, who died in 2013.
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