Short Siberia in danger - letter to Robin Pizer

[John25]

Maybe he hasn't got an answer yet - I would imagine he will have to check quite a few things with others before he can reply to some issues.

I would cut him some slack until he has been in post a lot longer

Love

Karen

He/they would also not wish to openly discuss any contractual negotiations, although a 'holding' response wouldn't be out of order would we be saisfied by that?

(written before Chrystel's response above)

[karen]

I take your point but I bet the world and his wife have written to him since he started (remember he has only been there 3 months) with a multitude of questions and complaints.

When I worked there I had on average over 300 emails a week (excluding spam) - Heather had a similar amount. The IT guy could produce a table showing who received and who sent how many. Heather and I were at the top of both tables.

When you get that many emails you get the following

Ones you can file immediately with no action required
Ones you can deal with immediately using one sentence
Ones that need a longer response
Ones you can pass to others as the sender has the wrong person or sends it to you because they know you
Ones you have to research or check with other people
Ones you have absolutely no idea about and have to find out
Ones noone will ever be able to answer

I think I managed my emails reasonably well but there were always outstanding ones because nobody is perfect.

Oh and we all had to do our normal jobs too so I really would give him a chance to reply. I would imagine he is on an incredibly steep learning curve and I do not envy him

I guess the NRA could get an automated reply system to send a "you are very important to us and we will reply ASAP" but it wouldn't mean a quicker answer would it.

Love

Karen

[alexham]

Three days seems perfectly reasonable especially if you know how much Mr. Mercer has on his plate.

Once again I fear that 'we' have gone off half cock acting on rumours.

If we all sent emails to any organisation, nothing would get done.

Your area rep is (should be) your first point of contact, we should be channeling our communications on such matters though her/him.

Having a rant on here does no good other than make me feel better (as it did yesterday)

When I want to know whst is happening at the NRA I ask my first point of contact; which is what I did over this matter.

I am told that the land is not being sold but changes are being made.

How long have we been complaining about the LACK of change at Bisley?

Some people will never be satisfied, will never compromise - sighs in exasperation.

I can tell you this - no CNC - no Bisley.

Simples.

John,
People act on rumours when no information is available! When something is in inverted commas like this "sale of land" it means the opposite. NRA does not own the freehold of the ranges and could not sell any even if it wanted to!

I don't know what Mr. Mercer has on his plate. I wrote to Pizer! I did not want to hear from Mercer because he is very new and does not know what members want - he does no know a member - full stop!

No CNC no Bisley! Is that another rumour you heard? CNC has been reduced drastically over the past few years and that is not a rumour. In a few years there may be no CNC so we better learn how to live on income from target shooting. Do you think is sensible to bus people from Sellafield to Bisley for a days shooting and lazy afternoon in Army TSC clubhouse? MoD is already under investigation for wasting huge sums of money, so how long before someone notices this?

Complaining about lack of change? New to me. I have heard numerous complaints about lack of proper maintenance, dirty toilets and the appauling state of the roads! I have also heard the cock n' bull story how a planning permission was refused for a permanent road. What you do is you sign an undertaking that everything will be returned to nature when the ranges are abandoned and if they refuse again you take them to court! Simple! A meerkat could do it.

The point was that we could be losing Short Siberia and Mercer has confirmed that. He went on to say that it was all a good thing for members!!! Someone has decided what is good for us without consultation with the members! Wow! It's all done by mirrors boy and that is why we are in this mess.

Watch this space.

Alex

[John25]

Alex,

I worked for the NRA. I was a member of General Council.

As Senior Ranges Supervisor and Clerk of Works I attended Mangement meetings and meetings with CNC and was privvy to the early discussions.

(it was my wife who sent CNC to Bisley in the first place and I initiated their early visits and Range Booking so I claim to know just a little bit about it.)

I don't do rumours. No CNC - no Bisley is/was no rumour.

It is fact.

Whilst I accept that you should probaly has an earlier response, the fact is some commercial discussions must be confidential. Have you thought about the possibility that NRA staff may well be muzzled by the terms of the discussions? Any outside communication may well have been prejudicial.

:cheers:

[Dougan]

I certainly will be 'watching this space' while the facts are being established.

I'm all for necessary change, but keeping Short Siberia pretty much as it is is a no-brainer - Firstly it is a great little range (for all the reasons already stated), and most members would be horrified to lose it - Secondly, again for the reasons already stated, it is impractical to shift 100/200 shooting to the right hand side of Century...

...and there is a third reason there, safety...having had a ricochet whiz over my head once at 300 on Century, I'm not sure I'd want to spend all day down at 100 on a normal shooting weekend where many are shooting at 500/600.

[John25]

I certainly will be 'watching this space' while the facts are being established.

I'm all for necessary change, but keeping Short Siberia pretty much as it is is a no-brainer - Firstly it is a great little range (for all the reasons already stated), and most members would be horrified to lose it - Secondly, again for the reasons already stated, it is impractical to shift 100/200 shooting to the right hand side of Century...

...and there is a third reason there, safety...having had a ricochet whiz over my head once at 300 on Century, I'm not sure I'd want to spend all day down at 100 on a normal shooting weekend where many are shooting at 500/600.

Dougan,

I agree, it was, in my time, the busiest range.

It was also the most abused, time stolen regularly, targets left up, faces damaged and un-patched.

I'm sure that the changes will prove beneficial (we all hate change) and I'm equally sure that safety retains it's place in the priority list.

I'm pretty confident also that the trek from FP to butts has also been considered, a new road was in outline planning two years ago.

[alexham]

I certainly will be 'watching this space' while the facts are being established.

I'm all for necessary change, but keeping Short Siberia pretty much as it is is a no-brainer - Firstly it is a great little range (for all the reasons already stated), and most members would be horrified to lose it - Secondly, again for the reasons already stated, it is impractical to shift 100/200 shooting to the right hand side of Century...

...and there is a third reason there, safety...having had a ricochet whiz over my head once at 300 on Century, I'm not sure I'd want to spend all day down at 100 on a normal shooting weekend where many are shooting at 500/600.

Dougan,

Please, do you have any details of that incident and have there been any more. There is another question. Even if the new facility is absolutely wonderful, it can only be used when Century is in reverse echelon, otherwise it will be in the direct bullet path from 600yds behind. Solution would be to operate in reverse echelon all the time, but then the 300metre International shed and targets could never be used. Where are they going and who is paying for the move?

Alex

[TJC]

I'd suggest we need both the new and existing facilities. Short Siberia gets busy during the summer weekends and easier access to shorter ranges might help bring in new shooters. Just sayin'

[John25]

I'd suggest we need both the new and existing facilities. Short Siberia gets busy during the summer weekends and easier access to shorter ranges might help bring in new shooters. Just sayin'

clapclap clapclap clapclap

[karen]

I'd suggest we need both the new and existing facilities. Short Siberia gets busy during the summer weekends and easier access to shorter ranges might help bring in new shooters. Just sayin'

Um CNC don't use the ranges at weekends so any changes wouldn't impact on weekend bookings.

Love

Karen