Introduction

[karen]

Hello everyone

I just want to introduce myself before starting to post news from the NRA. Some of you may know me from other forums such as the Long Range Forum and the Fullbore List.

Anyway my name is Karen Robertson and I am going to try to keep you up to date with news from the NRA. I work at the NRA as a "Useful Person" (I don't really like job descriptions) and Journal Editor. I am primarily a TR shooter but don't let that put you off as I have shot many other disciplines. I am on General Council and the Membership Committee and am married to the Chairman of the Shooting Committee so if you have a gripe or suggestion on how we can improve things just post it here and I will try and get it to the correct person for action or an answer. I might not be able to check in every day (as it's usually VERY busy in my office - honest! ) but will try.

However I would really like constructive criticism and suggestions for the future not rehashing of the same arguments and previous failings which we cannot do anything about now.

The Winter NRA Journal carries an advert for this forum so I hope we will be joined by many new members soon.

Love

Karen

[Christel]

Hi Karen,

Fantastic to have you aboard.

[dromia]

Hi karen

Many thanks for the post, first of many I hope.

As it is membership renewal time I have a couple of questions on the thinking behind the withdrawal of some of our member 'benefits'.

I see that NRA members no longer get a reduction for booking accommodation from the NSC and also there is no longer the reduced membership band for members who are a long way from Bisley.

Living in the NE of England and visiting Bisley only two or three times a year these benefits were important to me in that the NRA in some way recognised the paucity of regional support.

I have obviously missed the notification of these changes somwhere and would like to understand the thinking behind it so if you could point me to where these changes were announced to the membership and the reasons I would appreciate that.

Also I would like to ask what happend to the promised regional organisation structures that would look at booking ranges etc.

[ovenpaa]

Hi Karen, welcome to the forum, it is great to see you here and I am looking forward to some interesting dialogue :)

[karen]

I see that NRA members no longer get a reduction for booking accommodation from the NSC and also there is no longer the reduced membership band for members who are a long way from Bisley.

Living in the NE of England and visiting Bisley only two or three times a year these benefits were important to me in that the NRA in some way recognised the paucity of regional support.

I have obviously missed the notification of these changes somwhere and would like to understand the thinking behind it so if you could point me to where these changes were announced to the membership and the reasons I would appreciate that.

Also I would like to ask what happend to the promised regional organisation structures that would look at booking ranges etc.

Well I must have missed the accommodation one too - will ask the relevant people on Monday and get back to you.

As regards the reduced membership, this is because we were trying to get down to one class of standard membership at a lower rate for everyone. The original idea four or five years ago was to reduce it in stages to £50 across the board - we nearly managed it by getting it down to £55 but then the insurance costs kept increasing so unfortunately we didn't quite get there. We really want NRA membership to be just that - NRA membership - not the "Bisley Club" membership which was what it appeared to be. I will try and dig out the references in the old Journals and post them here in the next couple of days.

I will also try and get a definitive answer about the regional organisation structures - I have an idea about what happened but would like to check with the Regional Manager first just so I get my facts right.

Back soon

Love

karen

[dromia]

Thanks Karen.

I appreciate the aspiration on the fees but i never saw the fee structure as of relevance to the 'Bisley Shooting Club' issue. Its just I seem to be paying more for less.

[Robin128]

Hello Karen and welcome to our forum.

We have worked hard over the last month or so getting this forum where it is.

We cherish freedom of speech within the law.

For my part, I haven't visited Bisley since the 70s....and I had a pleasureable experience shooting my Colt G70 Mk4 there on your gallery range.

I have turned down several invites to shoot there because too many people I come into contact with tell me that more than a few of your RCOs are OTT on range safety. I shoot on several Welsh ranges, I'm on the committee on one, have an open FAC and competency cert. I frequently act as range officer and regularly enforce safety standards.

In addition, many I come into contact with have not forgiven the NRA for its lack of support regarding gun banning.

Don't mean to be negative...but I guess these views are no surprise to you.

Hope you put things right, soon.

HTH

Rob

[Dangermouse]

Karen,

Welcome to the forum and I would like to say that I think that you are very brave. The NRA has had much mud slung at it on various Forums and I hope that you are fairly treated on this one.

On the subject of RO's I have heard this complaint before but do not recognise this as a common occurrence.

To my knowledge, clubs provide their own RO's whenever they book a range. So if someone has a problem with the RO then that is something that they have brought with them.

For the last 4 years I have shot almost every Gallery rifle comp, many a Shotgun Festival, F Class league this year and the odd imperial.
I always find the RO's at these events friendly and never over bearing. When I first started and was all fingers and nerves, they gave me the support needed and encouragement to carry on.

Whenever I book a range by myself I am always left to get on with it, and have never been approached by range staff.

As a member of the Army and now Police, I am use to much more stringent control on ranges and find Bisley reasonably relaxed.

On the subject of Fees, I am happy as they are but I will accept that I am only 15 Min's up the road and get a lot more bangs for my bucks than others.

Re the Journal. It is very well put together and a nice product, but I really wish that every issue was not based around the Imperial. Other topics which I do not read and fill the pages every season, are the History of the camp and Tours of far flung places.
I was actually wondering how the NRA justified the expense of the added pamphlet earlier in the year when the Target Rifle team visited NZ - I assume it was sponsored.

I believe the NRA could save money by doing away with the printed hard copy and putting everything on the internet site. There are several shooting sites I visit almost daily, but the NRA (NSC) is not one of them. Perhaps by putting the journal on the web, or by emailing it to members, you will get more visitors to the NRA web page.
I have often wondered if you were to give people an opt out option when paying membership fees, if they would opt out, perhaps giving them a reduced membership rate?

I look forward to hearing lots from you in the future,

DM

[karen]

I see that NRA members no longer get a reduction for booking accommodation from the NSC and also there is no longer the reduced membership band for members who are a long way from Bisley.

Sorry been a bit hectic at the moment but I can answer the accommodation one. It appears that as we reduced the membership rate the percentage benefits we can give members also reduced. Under Charity Commission rules you can only give out a certain percentage of the membership fee back as benefits so we couldn't do it any more.

Not a great answer and an issue I was certainly not aware of!

Love

karen

[dromia]

Thanks Karen.

Does it still apply even though the membership rates haven't come down as much as was intended?

My rate has gone up and I've lost a benefit.

Seems to me the ones that have benefitted are those that are within spitting distance of Bisley. Doesn't help the North/South divide and the NRA being seen as a south of England Target Rifle club.

Winners and losers I guess, just looks like I'm a double whammy loser on this one. As are all members who are outside the 150 mile radius.