Winter 2002 - National Rifle Association

We must thank those organisations which sponsor ourevents. Martin Farnan has posted a list of new andrenewed sponsorships on the Chief Executive’snoticeboard.I take this opportunity to thank a number of people andhope that I do not miss out anyone.Firstly, we welcome, most importantly, the support ofMilforce provided this year by the Rifle Volunteers underLt Col Ian Blewitt and the cadet Milforce contingentcommanded by Lt Col Alan Wise and thank them for allthey do behind the scenes and at the ammunition points.I thank Major Ron Tomlin, Range Officer PirbrightRanges, for all his help throughout the year.And then there are the Chief Range Officers, TonyClayton on Century and Stephen Brooks on Stickledown,together with the Chief Butt Officers, John Gardner andPeter Alliss, and the range officers, stats staff andparticularly all the volunteers who have worked tosupport this year’s meeting.This is also an opportunity to thank Peter Hobson whohas donated a Land Rover to our shooting division andlent a further one for the Meeting. Thank you, Peter.Sky TVThose present during the Match Rifle Meeting may haveseen cameras; they will be here again on Queen’s FinalDay. Council approved the Shooting Committee’srecommendation that Sky TV should make two tenminuteprogrammes to be shown in the autumn. Thesewill show Match Rifle and Target Rifle, but also othershooting disciplines and aspects of Bisley. Dates fortransmission are not yet known, but will be advised. Thevideos will be available to us for promotional purposesafterwards.TeamsWe congratulate Martin Townsend on his successful tourto the West Indies. Winning all four team matches it isquite clear that the team had a most enjoyable social timeas well.We wish John Bloomfield and his TR team, Philip Hakimand his Under 25 team, Simon Fraser and his AthelingsTeam and Paul Monaghan and his F Class Team all goodwishes for their forthcoming visit to Canada. Theoccasion will be the first for F Class WorldChampionships. Back here we wish Anton Aspin andhis Kolapore team success on Friday.Commonwealth GamesI do hope that many of you will come to the Games atsome point. His Royal Highness, the Earl of Wessex willbe coming down on Thursday 1 August. Medalceremonies for the various events take place between 27July and 3 August with the Pairs on 28 July and FullboreSingles on 2 August.I really do hope that shooting gets some TV publicity.Certainly, the BBC will have a team down here to do so.Countryside MarchI should like to commend to you the Countryside Marchon 22 September. Indirectly, this demonstration for52freedom of activity is much in our own interests too. Itis planned to have coaches leaving from here to join theMarch; please do get in touch with the NRA Office afterthe meeting if you would like to come via Bisley.StaffI just want to say a word of thanks to our staff. Ourfinancial predicament was not their fault, but all haverallied round not only to ensure that we try to run atight ship, but also in accepting the changes which needto take place to secure our future. I have muchappreciated their support and contribution to ourplanning.I am sure that everyone in this room wishes MartinFarnan a speedy recovery from his accident lastSaturday. He should be resting, but he would be one ofthe last to leave his post at such an important time asthe Bisley Meeting. We thank you, Martin.In particular, I should like to thank David Hossack whocame to our assistance at the most fraught and difficulttime at the end of 2000 and took on the role of ManagingDirector of the newly created National Shooting CentreLimited, assisting Colin. He relinquished that post atthe end of June, but has kindly agreed to remain on theboard and to give such assistance as he can as we goforward. We have appreciated his help and support verymuch.I turn, now, to Colin Cheshire. He would be one of thefirst to recognise that events of recent years have beencontroversial. However, he was asked to become ChiefExecutive to embark on a five year programme ofimprovement to celebrate the Millennium year 2000,which proved to be so successful, and, latterly, toaccommodate the Commonwealth Games resulting inBisley becoming truly the National Shooting Centre. Ashe is due to retire shortly after the Games I am sure thatit is right to thank Colin this evening for his drive,enthusiasm and for these achievements and to wish himand his wife Angie a happy retirement.I can now inform you that there were no fewer than 31scores of 105 in the first stage of Her Majesty The Queen’sPrize and the winner of the Bronze Badge is Jim Patonof Canada with a score of 105 with 17 V bulls.The lowest score qualifying for the second stage is 102with 10 V bulls finishing 30.1 at 600 yards.”Comments from the FloorMr Jim Hallam, Vice-President, speaking as Chairmanof the South London Rifle Club remarked that somequarter of the members of his club are under 40 and fromGresham’s School. The feeling of the members of hisclub is that the NRA is ‘Bisleycentric’ and he wonderedwhether regional championships are being considered,for example.In response, the Chairman thanked Mr Hallam andreported that he had attended a meeting of regionalmembers of Council in May as referred to in the Journal.A programme is being developed for the future whenthe NRA, itself, will have an increased emphasis onmembership, particularly away from Bisley. Because