Sightings

The Newsletter Of : Marple Target Sports Centre

Issue 03 December 2000

Good Grief it is Newsletter time again well we have a rather interesting mix of gossip, News, and shooting matters if it keeps you all, half as interested in reading it as it kept me in compiling it then it is worth while.

In our own Club there has been a rumour going round that Brian Kenworthy has been walking round in a world of his own. Apparently his daughter Sarah Jane produced Brian’s third Grandchild, ‘Nathan Brian’ on 17^th October 2000. So good luck and much happiness to all concerned. We have already put the little Chaps name down on the waiting list to join Marple Target Sports Centre.(Just joking Brian we would not dare; well - - not yet any way).

Work inside the Club has all but finished and what wonderful facilities we now have. Every one that came to our Barbecue not only had a good time but all those who had not seen the range for some time thought that they were in the wrong place, so THANKS MUST GO TO THE TWO MAIN WORKERS

PETER SHARPE AND DAVID STOPFORD. And with out the efforts of a certain MVA, we would not be able to find the range for it would be overgrown with grass and trees. Thanks Mike you really do a great job.

OUTDOORS? IN THIS WEATHER !!!!!!

The title is just a lead in to inform you of the investigation work being done by your present committee into the possibility of constructing a 50 metre outdoor range on the club premises which will include access for the disabled.

The stages involved are :-

• Draw up a set of initial plans using laid down criteria. (continued overleaf)

• These criteria are laid down by the military and include such things as defence zones, Butt backstop, shooters error's etc.

•  
• Submit these plans to the N.S.R.A. for error checking and suggestions etc.
• Submit the final plans to the military for their approval.
• Draw up complete site plans to obtain quotes for the work to be done.

• Knowing the cost will then enable the committee to approach various bodies to see if they are willing to fund some of the work.

•  
• Submit these plans to the local authority for approval.

This is obviously an oversimplification but it should give you the basic idea.

If all the above goes without a hitch (which I very much doubt) then construction could possibly begin in the spring of 2001.

David Stopford. Good in’it (ED).

Now for something completely different:

Quotable Quotes On Firearms and Shooting

"To say that because there were some persons who would make violent use of pistols, therefore the right of purchase or possession by every Englishman should be taken away is monstrous."

C H Hopwood MP Hansard 1895

"The most foolish mistake we could possibly make would be to allow the subject races to possess arms. History shows that all conquerors who have allowed their subject races to carry arms have prepared their own downfall by doing so."

Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf 1928

"No civilian is to have a firearm without a permit, which will not be issued to those suspected of acting against the state. For Jews this permission will not be granted. Those people who do not require permission to purchase or carry weapons include the whole S.S. and S.A.,

including the Death's Head group and Hitler Youth Officers."

Firearms Law, Nazi Germany 1937

"Germans who wish to use firearms should join the SS or the SA - ordinary citizens don't need guns, as their having guns doesn't serve the State."

Heinrich Himmler 1937

"That rifle on the wall of the labourer's cottage or working class flat is the symbol of democracy. It is our job to see that it stays there."

George Orwell, Tribune 1940

"Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the act of depriving a whole nation of arms, as the blackest."

Mahatma Gandhi, Gandhi, An Autobiography 1946

"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity."

Sigmund Freud, General Introduction to Psychoanalysis 1952

"The Army regards a high standard of marksmanship as being an essential skill for the majority of soldiers, and we regard target shooting by civilian rifle and pistol clubs, along with the activities of the NRA and other major bodies, to be fundamentally important in achieving that high standard."

Lt. Gen. Sir Peter Duffell, Inspector General, Doctrine and Training.

(In evidence to the Cullen Enquiry) 1996

"The value of the civilian clubs is - first of all - that they provide an arena for competition, particularly for long range sniper-type shooting, over and above what the military can offer. Secondly - and more importantly - there is the experience of the senior members of those clubs, who provide coaching expertise beyond what is available in military training."

General Sir Roger Wheeler, Commander-in-Chief.

(In evidence to the Cullen Enquiry) 1996

"In police Firearms Training, shooting is just one of the many skills to be acquired, but from them all, shooting skills (or lack of them) continues to be a worry for many policemen. It troubles them that other demands within the service do not permit more time/training to ensure higher standards. It is here that civilian clubs can and do offer additional opportunities to improve skills and confidence to those Police who become members. The consequences of private individuals being denied the right to shoot and possess firearms would in my opinion, lead to a drying up of knowledge and skills that in the past have served our country well."

Supt. Waldren (Association of Chief Police Officers) 1998

Submitted by: Michael Tilley.

Competition Results

Cheshire County Summer League 2000.

Well, Altrincham have made a bid for glory this time, with three firsts. It was very nearly four; the ‘B’ team needed to win the last round, but Shell Stanlow ‘B’ gained the points relegating Altrincham to third place on aggregate. The best individual performance was produced by Ken Ridley shooting for Wilmslow ‘A’, with only 8 points dropped over the ten rounds. Next best individual was Simon Green of Altrincham ‘A’ with 18 points dropped. Congratulations to all the winners, hopefully the others will keep trying and maybe have some success next time round.

The Winter League has increased by one team over the Summer League, Altrincham, Grange and Llandudno & Colwyn Bay each reduced by one team. Weston have added a team, Prestatyn RBL, have re-entered and Crewe have increased by two teams following an influx of members from an Industrial sports club which had closed down. So we have five full divisions and one with a bye round.

All above courtsey of Brian Baguley County Stats Officer.

Cheshire County Rifle and Pistol Association

N . S. R. A. County Competitions.

Competition: County Cup, Team: Cheshire

Shot at Appleton Range: Saturday 23^rd September 2000.

The County Cup was finally won by Surrey along with 21 Silver Medals. With a score of 7808 out of a possible 8000

Hampshire were second along with 21 Bronze Medals. With a score of 7741 25 County Teams entered the County Cup, Cheshire finished 18^th with a score of 7589. Aberdeenshire won The ICI Scottish Challenge Shield with a score of 7654. The Competition is open to teams which are representative of County Associations affiliated to the NSRA. Teams of 20 Shooters, 40 shots per Shooter, 20 shots at 50 Yards, 20 shots at 100 yards.

I do have the full list of teams taking part if it is felt that the full list be published, then in future I will do so. Please make your views Known

Rod Simpson (Editor).

Dear Sir,

Giving our sport a healthy future

It is well know that our sport has been in decline for a number of years now, with a section of the public and the majority of politicians totally against our very existence. That has, in itself, destroyed a lot of the enthusiasm that used to be self-evident within the sport.

We thought it may be of interest to you and others to learn that we may not be such outcasts any longer and to advise you of some of the things that we, in Cornwall, and in particular The City of Truro Rifle Club, have been up to in an attempt to redress the balance and raise the profile of our sport again.

One of the things we do on a regular basis is that we publish - nearly every week - our results, win or lose, with some sort of comments included that can give rise to a sporting headline. We get published in both local weekly newspapers and on BBC local radio. The latter after inviting the sports editor to the club to show her what went on. So it is important to make personal contact with your press. We, a few years ago, offered target shooting as part of the sports curriculum to local schools and every Friday from 3.3Opm until 6.30 pm, the students who are interested attend the club where we always have at least three coaches on hand to teach the sport. Of course, we pick up members for our junior section this way. We also meet the parents when they pick up their children and there is another source of support. We also offer Duke of Edinburgh award classes to other schools, another source of membership on occasion.

Our county coach nominated as the ‘junior squad co-ordinator’ runs a competition throughout the South West that brings the cadet forces into it and reaches in excess of 200 young people, giving them a taste of shooting in competition. This is a fertile area for recruitment.

When we have a prize giving of any note, we try to get the local Mayor or another local dignitary along to do it and invite the press. It always works and the publicity is very useful.

We were approached by a local adult education establishment to run courses in the sports as leisure pursuits, which we have done successfully on three occasions. The course ran on four Saturday afternoons, from 2pm to 5pm for up to 12 adults at a time and gained membership for our own and other clubs. When using cartridge rifles, we had to declare those Saturdays as ‘open days’ to the police but it caused no problems.

Like most, the club got to a state where it needed a deal of refurbishment, so we applied to the Foundation for Sport & the Arts for an £8,000 grant, which we would match. We were successful. So the club looks inviting, clean and efficient. We also bought new equipment for our newcomers. Then the lottery announced its ‘small award’ scheme, which didn’t need matched funding, so the county applied to get coaches trained and run training weekends to raise awareness and standards, especially in the County Junior Squad. The county got its money and ran the training from our club. (We do have outdoor facilities on site). We now have 34 trained coaches/instructors in the county and two county coaches.

Both of our county coaches are members of this club. The senior county coach, Liz Perry, said she would love to have a ‘Noptel’ training aide at her disposal. So the club applied to the lottery for a ‘small award’ laying out our plans for its use and have just received a grant for £3480 to buy the ‘Noptel’, its associated top quality lap-top computer and four new shooting jackets for our growing junior section.

Now all of this is serious trumpet blowing, I know, but if a little club in a small county (population-wise) like Truro in Cornwall can do it, why not, as we approach our centenary year, can we not galvanize, all clubs, large or small, into action? Remember, those of us who are getting a bit long in the tooth have derived a great deal of pleasure from our sport. Let’s put something back! Let’s get the next generation involved!

Yours faithfully,

Charlie Batten

The above letter has been copied from the Autumn 2000 issue of The Rifleman published by the N. S. R. A.

Wirral Smallbore Rifle League

Summer 2000 Trophy Winners.

Lack of space prevents me from printing the results of "The Wirral Confined Shoot" held at Appleton Range on Sunday 8^th October 2000.

But one result There is room to print is the name of the Shooter who came second in Class ‘B’. None other than our very own Michael Von Acten. Well done Mike and good shooting for the rest of 2000 and 2001.

It just remains for me to wish you all the compliments of the Season on behalf of "The Committee". See you all at the A. G. M. on 18^th January 2001. Note that it is slightly earlier than in the past. Don’t forget your Subs

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