Dear Member,
Firstly, thank you to those of you who completed the Future of TR questionnaire, other organisations have since followed suit and the results have been sent to the NRA for their inward digestion.
It’s pleasing to see that the popularity of our clubhouse continues to grow, it is a landmark building on Club Row and whilst it is an expense for us, we are taking steps to reduce overheads and possibly share the load so that we can enjoy it for many years to come. Whilst on the subject of the clubhouse, I’m happy to announce that the boards have been updated from 2007 and I plan to make sure that happens every year.
One of the cost reductions that have been approved by Council is a move from very expensive medals to high quality badges for some of the competitions we organise. If you’re fortunate enough to win one, I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.
In an effort to reduce costs for our members we have allowed hand-loads in both the Spring Meeting and the KGV heats (with certain conditions). It will be interesting at the end of the season to see how many people took advantage of this. Hopefully we will not only sustain, but increase our meeting entries as a consequence.
For those without 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).
Officers of the Club
Our president, Prof. A.R. Horrocks is due for re-election this year and is willing to stand for a further term. I would like to thank him for his efforts during the last 3 years.
The members retiring by rotation during 2013 are S.J. Comins and G.P. Nelson, both would like to stand for re-election and may I thank them for their efforts during their periods of office.
There is currently 1 vacancy on the Council, if you feel that you can add value to the club and you are willing to offer some of your time, please make yourself known to us.
Nominations from members are invited and if you have one or more nominations to propose, please complete and return the section at the end of the newsletter.
The Club Yearbook, 2013
The yearbook is once again being produced under the editorship of Heather Webb. During the year Heather will make a record of any changes notified to her and amend the following yearbook accordingly, so if you notice any errors in the yearbook, please notify her. Likewise when you send any changes of e-mail addresses or other contact details to Jim Carter, please copy Heather in. The Council thanks Heather for her assistance with this task, which she does in her spare time. Without this kind of support the club would cease to function. yearbook@englishtwenty.org.uk
The Clubhouse
Council has agreed that the Facilities Committee will now be a subsection of Council to ensure that key management and investment decisions are made at that level and for oversight of the new Club Steward. The Clubhouse use was revised based on the experiences of the previous year. Debbie has made the transition to Club Steward and now controls the use of the Club which will be opened for the traditional periods of Spring Meeting and Imperial Meeting as well to support Club members during section events such as Gallery Rifle. Given sufficient warning and planning the Club may be booked for events such as training weekends at a £100 charge to cover costs of items such as special bar licences and staff wages. Full catering can also be arranged.
Work continues to improve the Club with volunteers having provided and installed a catering standard cooker in the kitchen as well as improving the beer storage and drainage facilities in the cellar. There is still much to be done, particularly to clear and refurbish the old gun room into a usable space. As a Club we should pay tribute to Steven Wilson who has done so much hands-on work to keep the interest and use of the Clubhouse going over recent years.
Spring Meeting 2013
This year the Spring Meeting will be held 25th to 27th May 2013. Tom Rylands will again organise the meeting and HPS ammunition will be issued to competitors if they so designate on the Entry Form. Entry forms will be included in the 2013 yearbook and also be available on the web site and in the Bisley Clubs soon. It will be possible to enter on line this year and this is to be encouraged as it assists with the squadding and admin, making the organising much simpler. If you wish to enter online, but still pay by traditional means that is fine, please send your cheque to Tom Rylands and indicate that you have entered on line.
Please be aware that this year, for the first time, competitors may use hand-loads that conform to NRA Rule 151, rather than the ammunition being issued by the Club. Members wishing to use hand-loads will have to sign a declaration on the Entry Form that their ammunition does in fact conform to Rule 151. Issued ammunition will still be available for purchase.
This meeting is the premier Club event of the 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 Debbie and her staff. Please do support your club by entering; costs have been kept down as far as possible but it means we do need an entry of 120 plus to break even.
Gallery Rifle
The Club’s Gallery Rifle Division has continued to attract new members and more will be very welcome. If you know anyone who qualifies and would like to shoot for their country please get them to contact Chris Farr about joining.
We will be competing against the usual strong teams from Germany, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, South Africa and Wales at the Phoenix Meeting. There is also another GR country, Australia, on the horizon. The Gallery Rifle National Match will be in its usual place at the GR National Championships Meeting. Three members were awarded colours in 2012 and there is always stiff competition for places.
The 2013 Captain, Neil Francis, is in the process of selecting this year’s team so there may be new colours awarded this year too.
For more information please see the Gallery Rifle page on the club website (soon to be updated) or look at www.galleryrifle.com. Division Superintendent Chris Farr: chris@nra.org.uk
England Teams for National and Lawrence Matches, 2013
Message from the Captain, Charles Brooks
I am delighted and honoured to have been appointed by the English Twenty Club Council as Captain of England for the National and Lawrence Matches in 2013. I have asked David Rose to be my Adjutant and Bill Richards to be my main coach. I would like to draw your attention to the following:
The Lawrence Match will be held at Blair Atholl on Saturday 8th June during the Scottish Championship Meeting which runs from 7th to 9th June. I would like to encourage as many competent English shooters as possible to enter this meeting. It is a Match that we have not won since 2007, and I should like to make amends to that this year! It is a long way to travel, but you will be warmly welcomed by our Scottish hosts. The shooting is very competitive and the scenery is superb. 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. (Details should be available from NRA website under Upcoming Events in due course.)
The National Match will be held, as usual, on the final Thursday of the Imperial Meeting at Bisley, 18th 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; you can do this alongside your Spring Entry 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 and half of the team who have not shot more than once. District Superintendents are asked to provide me with recommendations. However I appreciate that this method is not fool proof, so if you have not shot in the match before or have only shot once, and you feel that you should be in contention, please do not hesitate to contact myself or David and put forward your case. A Club team is being selected for a match against the RAF and other Home Countries on 18th May which will be shot under National conditions and I hope to use this as an opportunity to try out some new faces both coaching and shooting.
Finally, if for any reason you do NOT wish to be considered for selection for the National (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.
I have a hard job to follow Mike Fugeman’s success last year, but I look forward to the challenge.
Charles Brooks
Match v Combined Services and Home Countries 2013
Message from the Captain, Tracy Fitzsimons
I am honoured and delighted with the Captaincy of this year’s team to compete against the Combined Services and Home Countries, I am also pleased to announce Douglas Gass has accepted the role of adjutant.
The Team will have 12 firers and 3 coaches and will be a Queen’s II course of fire, the match will be held on the second Friday of the Imperial Meeting alongside the Kolapore.
I would like to invite members of the English Twenty Club who wish to be considered for this Match either as a firer or coach to contact me or my adjutant.
There will also be the opportunity to submit your name on the English Twenty Notice Board outside the Clubhouse during the Imperial Meeting.
Captain: Tracy Fitzsimons
Adjutant: Douglas Gass
Certificates of Competence
Please note that the English Twenty 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
To encourage the widest possible participation in the KGV please note that if holding a Queen’s II match is not possible, then a match covering at least two ranges between 200 and 600 yds, with 30 shots per firer can be held.
This year there is a change to the rule regarding ammunition, which is to allow ammunition as agreed within the group, rather than it be issued by the organising DS. This is only when all teams agree, if not then the organising DS must supply ammunition in the traditional manner)
Peter Kelly is the Competitions Secretary, and if you are responsible for organising your heat please make sure that you liaise with him.
Significant Dates, 2013
18th May
Matches versus RAFTRC, Scotland and Wales
25-27th May
English Twenty Club Prize Meeting
25th May
Council Meeting, 17:30 in the clubhouse
11th July
English County Rifle Championship for the King George V Challenge Cup, 13:30 (subject to confirmation)
13th July
Aggregates for Club Championship and Varley commence. Entries close at the clubhouse at 12:00
14th July
Meeting of District Superintendents, 18:45 in the clubhouse
15th July
Council Meeting, 20:15 in the clubhouse
16th July
County Short and Long matches
17th July
H.M. The Queen’s Prize, first stage
18th July
Aggregates for Club Championship and Varley finish
National Match
Annual General Meeting of the Club, 19:00 in the clubhouse
19th July
Kolapore; Combined Services match
H.M. The Queen’s Prize, second stage
20th July
Mackinnon
H.M. The Queen’s Prize, final
Best wishes for the 2013 season.
Martin Liversage, Honorary Secretary
secretary@englishtwenty.org.uk