Dear Member,
Like last year, this has been sent out as a notification of its being available as a download from the web-site.
Once again, for those not on email, I would ask District Superintendents to attempt to circulate their “e-less” members with hard copies…many thanks. In addition, we would ask any member who has changed his or her address recently and has not alerted the Membership Secretary, to do so immediately and, if he/she is now on email, to inform the Club of this please (membership@englishtwenty.org.uk).
We run the Club with volunteers and so try to make each job as simple as possible. For example, my job as Hon Secretary is greatly helped by having a Minutes Secretary, Carol Painting, who services Council meetings and the AGM. Unfortunately, Carol has expressed a wish to retire from Council and the Minutes Secretaryship and her services will be sadly missed. On behalf of the Council and Club may I thank her for all her work undertaken during my acting as Honorary Secretary. The Competitions Secretary position has been filled by Peter Kelly who will be organising the KGV Heats (please see below).
Ordinary Members of Council
The members retiring by rotation during 2011 are C.A. Painting, P.N. Hinchliffe, R.P. Rosling. Apart from C.A.Painting (see above) each is willing to stand again, may I thank them for their efforts during their periods of office. Nominations from members are invited and if you have one or more nominations to propose, please fill in and return the tear-off part of this Newsletter below.
Election of Honorary Secretary and Treasurer
I have been acting as Honorary Secretary for the last five and a half years and now consider that alongside holding the position of President (for the third consecutive 3 year period), it is now time for another member to take over this role. I have included a nomination form at the end of this document. If any member wishes to be appraised of the duties of the Honorary Secretary, I shall be only too willing to send them the information. Our Honorary Treasurer has also been in office for many years and since he has fully retired and moved away from Surrey, he has stated that he wishes to stand down at the end in July. A nomination form is also included. May I take this opportunity of thanking Geoff for all his work during the time that I have been acting Secretary.
The Club Yearbook, 2011
The yearbook is once again being produced under the editorship of Heather Webb and the feedback from last year’s edition in which most of the previously identified errors (of which there were legion) were rectified. The Council have formally thanked Heather for undertaking this significant task and we are assured that the 2011 edition will be better than ever.
The Clubhouse
The old armoury is now a committee room and is gradually being refurbished as such. It is currently used for Council and DS meetings.
The clubhouse exterior has undergone a full repainting during the autumn and winter periods and should be finished by Easter subject to the weather. This has been a mammoth task and has required replacement of external weather boarding in parts at a significant cost to the Club. Luckily the finances have enabled this to happen without the Club sustaining any undue significant financial burden. However, if we are to maintain the clubhouse in the condition required by our lease, then future income generation will be essential to ensure that required maintenance remains affordable. It might be added at this time that the roof, while still being weatherproof, is causing some concern as was pointed out in last year’s Newsletter.
Membership Facilities Committee: This committee has continued to develop the services offered during the Spring and Imperial meetings and I remind you that the clubhouse can be hired for £30 per day for general club and training purposes and anyone interested should approach the Club through the Honorary Secretary or the Chairman. Profits from the bar are a significant source of extra income and so your continued support is appreciated. Steve Wilson is the Club’s mainstay here since here organizes the workings of the bar during the Spring and Imperial meetings.
Commonwealth Games, India 2010
The Club wishes to congratulate formally Parag Patel on achieving Gold in the Individual Fullbore Rifle event and to both Parag and Jon Underwood on achieving Bronze in the Pairs in Delhi last year. It is by now common knowledge that the range facilities and in particular, the electronic targets left much to be desired and these issues have been well-aired in the recent NRA Winter Journal. It was evident that significant problems lay with targetry during the earlier CSFC matches in April which were fortunately not experienced by the England squad because of the grounding of flights from the UK during this time as a consequence of the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud!
The squad was most ably managed by Jeremy Langley and his contribution to the overall success of the England Squad should be acknowledged.
Spring Meeting 2011
This year the Spring Meeting will be held 28-30th May 2011. Tom Rylands will again organise the meeting again and HPS ammunition will be issued to competitors. Entry forms will be included in the 2011 yearbook and also be available on the website and in the Bisley Clubs soon.
This meeting is one of the highlights of the Club’s events each year and members are encouraged to participate. In recent years, the clubhouse has been well attended especially on the Saturday when a special evening meal is available and a true club spirit prevails thanks to Steve Wilson and his staff. The meeting has also made a surplus which has contributed to the overall financial wellbeing of the Club and so this is another reason to support the event.
Gallery Rifle
The Club’s Gallery Rifle Division continues to be extremely active under the direction of Chris Farr, the discipline’s representative on Council. The Division has teams competing at various meetings and venues against teams from Germany, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The most notable match which is the Gallery Rifle National Match (recognized as such by the NRA) is held during the August Bank Holiday weekend. During 2010, England retained the GR National match trophy and so the Club offers its congratulations to its captain N Brown and team members.
For more information please see the Gallery Rifle page on the club website or follow the “International” link at www.galleryrifle.com.
Chris Farr, Division Superintendent
Half Colour Entitlement
Last year saw the inauguration of the award of half Colours which not only recognised the growing interest in newer disciplines like gallery rifle but also teams shooting at national level for which no honours currently exist. At the present time Council has decided that members of teams in international matches that are recognised as such by the NRA and organised by them or within their calendar will be eligible for the award of Half Colours. Currently these are the Gallery Rifle National Match held in August and the recently established Under 25s TR National Match held at the end of the first week of the Imperial meeting in July. The blazer badge is undated like the Full Honours “Three Lions” blazer badge and may be purchased for £6.
England Teams for National and Lawrence Matches, 2011
Here is a message from Jim Carter, Captain of the 2011 England National Match team:
The English Twenty Club Council has honoured me by appointing me Captain of England for the National and Lawrence Matches in 2011. I have asked Hugh Riley to be my Adjutant. I would like your help in a few respects.
The Lawrence Match will be held at Blair Atholl on Saturday 18th June, on the middle day of the three-day Scottish Championship Meeting. I would like to encourage as many competent English shooters as possible to enter this meeting. I know it is a long way to travel, but you will be warmly welcomed by our Scottish hosts and the scenery is superb. Perhaps make a holiday of it. If you do intend to go, and would like to be considered for the English team, it would help me immensely if you would let me know at the time you enter, so that I can get an idea of the pool of shooters available for selection.
The National Match will be held, as usual, on the final Thursday of the Imperial Meeting at Bisley, on the Thursday 21st of July. It is a condition for selection that you have paid your English Twenty Club subscription for the year and that you have entered the Club Championship, which costs £5 and is concurrent with the short range competitions in the Grand Aggregate. There have been cases in the past where shooters in the running for selection have been ruled out because of failure to meet one or other of these conditions, so please make sure you do not become one of them! There will be plenty of opportunities to enter the Club Championship before the Bisley meeting, or you can do so at the Clubhouse at any time up to the start of the Grand Aggregate on Middle Saturday lunchtime.
The guidelines for selection state that the team should include at least five shooters who have not shot in the National Match previously. We have invited recommendations from District Superintendents and will be keeping an eye on those whose names come forward. This method is not foolproof however, so if you have not shot in the match before, and you feel that you should be in contention, please do not hesitate to contact one of us and put forward your case.
Finally, if for any reason you do NOT wish to be considered for selection (perhaps because you have to be off camp on that Thursday) it is MOST IMPORTANT that you let us know. Selecting someone who then turns out to be unavailable makes trouble for everyone.
England tour to South Africa in 2013
The Club has been invited by the South African Bisley Union to send an England TR team to South Africa in 2013. Nominations for the captaincy of this team are invited on the appropriate form at the end of this Newsletter.
Certificates of Competence
Please note that the Club is not a primary club and so will not be issuing Certificates of Competence for any member who wishes to fire TR, MR, F Class or Gallery rifle disciplines on MOD ranges INCLUDING Bisley. These MUST be obtained from your primary club.
KGV Heats Organisation
It is evident that given the recent past and continuing pressures regarding civilian access to MOD ranges, the challenges of some regions holding KGV heats within the letter of the rules will prove to be even greater than in previous years. While I am told that the NRA is doing its best to improve civilian access, please note that if holding a Queen’s II match is not possible, then the main issue is whether to consider a match covering at least two ranges between 200 and 600 yds with a total match series per firer of 30 shots can be held.
Peter Kelly will be organising the Heats and so please liaise with him in the first instance.
Child Protection Legislation
Last year, the NRA published its new Guide to Policy and Procedures on The Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults in Target Shooting. All members who deal with the training and coaching of children and vulnerable adults can see the NRA policy on its web-site. The Club has adopted this policy. At the present time because the Club does not actively work with children and vulnerable adults, it does not have a designated officer.
Significant Dates, 2011
14-15 May
Matches versus RAFTRC, Scotland and Wales
28-30 May
English Twenty Club Prize Meeting
29 May
Council Meeting, 17.30 in the old armoury at the clubhouse
14 July
English County Rifle Championship for the King George V Challenge Cup, 13.30 (subject to confirmation)
16 July
Aggregates for Club Championship and Varley commence. Entries close at the clubhouse at 12:00.
17 July
Meeting of District Superintendents, 18:45 in the old armoury at the clubhouse
18 July
Council Meeting, 20:15 in the old armoury at the clubhouse
19 July
County Short and Long matches
20 July
H.M. The Queen’s Prize, first stage
21 July
Aggregates for Club Championship and Varley finish
National Match
22 July
Kolapore; Combined Services match
Queen’s Prize, second stage
Annual General Meeting of the Club, 19:00 in the clubhouse
23 July
Mackinnon
H.M. The Queen’s Prize, final
Best wishes for the 2011 season.
Dick Horrocks, President and Honorary Secretary