NRA General Council Elections

[dromia]

The ballot papers are now out to NRA members for election of candidates to the council.

There are fifteen candidates for five council vacancies, some of the candidates are members here and wish to use Full-Bore UK to make their case for why people should vote for them, so this thread is dedicated to that.

Members of the forum standing for election to the General Council are welcome to put their resumes and manifesto's up here but must be prepared to answer questions from forum members about their abilities for the position and what they would want to achieve for NRA members and shooting in UK if elected.

Normal forum rules will apply here so no personal attacks, although members will perhaps wish to ask more personal questions of a candidates in order to try and ascertain their suitability this must be done in a circumspect manner that does not insult.

The moderators call on this will be final so play the game and treat those people who want to put themselves forward to help shooting as they see it with due respect and courtesy.

It is up to candidates to take advantage or otherwise of posting in this thread, all they need to do to be eligible is join the forum. Also in the interests of fairness we would ask candidates not to interrogate other candidates on this thread unless they have posted their resume and or manifesto here first.

Full-Bore UK in no way endorses any candidate for election as that is purely the business of paid up NRA voting members.

[John MH]

I have put myself forward for election to the General Council and my CV is included with the Ballot Papers. The CV profroma did not allow for more than 150 words to put across what the candidates felt they could bring to the NRA General Council and to summarise their shooting career.

So, what do I think I can offer over what I have briefly stated on the CV?

I have been shooting since I was at school and on joining the Royal Navy I competed in Service Rifle and Pistol shooting. Sadly career training and work got in the way early on and would result in several breaks from shooting and changes in direction over the coming years. Not withstanding service at sea and other hurdles, I found myself taking up civilian pistol shooting and shot mostly 1500, PP1 and SP and helped organise and run many well attended club open matches. Looking to continue shooting after the handgun ban I bought my first full bore rifle from Peter Sarony in 1997 and took up what at the time was the vibrant and well attended sport of Practical Rifle, competing in the PR Nationals and on at least on occasion winning the NATO Services Cup as the top uniformed competitor. Early in 2000 I discovered High Power Rifle, it was being shot at Bisley by a dedicated core of marksmen who were bringing this American discipline to Britain. Having got the High Power bug I progressed over a few years and eventually became the UK High Power Champion and during that time I helped run many of the matches, maintained the UK High Power Rifle Classification database and the Association’s website. The opportunity then arose to become involved in Military Service Rifle shooting once more. The next 6 years saw me as the Captain of the Plymouth Team, becoming Treasurer of the Royal Navy & Royal Marines Rifle Association, Adjutant and then Captain of the Royal Navy & Royal Marines Combat Shooting Team at the AFSAM Matches in the USA and being selected to represent Great Britain on the Service Rifle Team in 2008; I wish I shot better that day! During that period I helped raise over £150k in sponsorship to support young sailors and marines competing in Combat Shooting Matches in the UK and aboard. Now concentrating on Civilian Service Rifle I’m a regular competitor in the Winter League and Imperial. A committed supporter of Service charities I have organised several Precision Snap and Sharpshooting Matches in aid of the Royal British Legion; the ever popular format of these matches has seen this year’s sold out 4 months before the event with nearly all the available places gone within a week of the entry opening.

I have never wished to be involved in club politics, I have always concentrated on supporting any club or association that I have been a member of by organising and motivating people to help, participate and ultimately improve their shooting skill. I have a proven track record of making things happen; be it raising funds, administering, training, devising matches and encouraging participation. I will work tirelessly to make the NRA a better, more representative organisation that makes target shooting in all its forms more accessible for all and particularly the next generation of marksmen and markswomen in what ever their chosen discipline is.


Finally, some of those on the Ballot Paper are already members, or have been in the past, of the General Council or held various other NRA positions. They have undoubtedly dedicated a lot of their time and effort to promote shooting as a sport and should be congratulated for having done so. I believe that there have been tangible improvements in the last 3 years and that those improvements have been brought about by new blood being brought into the organisation and some hard and difficult decisions made which has not unsurprisingly upset many traditionalists and long standing members of the General Council. The important thing is that it is the new faces and new ideas that are having an effect. There is still a long way to go and so much more that could be done to make the NRA more representative of the wider target shooting community both at Bisley and in the regions. I would also encourage you to study the voting slip and look closely at who has proposed whom; I was surprised to see several names appear more than once and some both as candidates and proposers, that maybe the norm but if you want to see change, as in any election, then vote accordingly.

[Strangely Brown]

I was surprised to see several names appear more than once and some both as candidates and proposers, that maybe the norm but if you want to see change, as in any election, then vote accordingly.

I saw that and it saddened me somewhat; it was almost as if those candidates didn't give a stuff!

The thing to remember is, although you have 5 votes you do not have to use them all!

[Dark Skies]

I'll vote for anyone that will make moves to remove the NRA portal from a private self-interested company back to an NRA controlled portal. If I wanted to give my private details and firearms ownership to strangers of dubious nature I'd just scribble them out on a piece of paper and leave it on a bus.

[karen]

I would also encourage you to study the voting slip and look closely at who has proposed whom; I was surprised to see several names appear more than once and some both as candidates and proposers, that maybe the norm but if you want to see change, as in any election, then vote accordingly.

As someone who proposed two nominees I would like to make a couple of points.

Firstly when someone who wants to stand for General Council asks you to nominate them, I feel that it is an honour that they think that your nomination will help their election chances. It is also difficult to say no :roll:

Secondly I have five votes therefore if I believe in five people enough to vote for them, then I should believe in those five people enough to nominate them should they ask me.

If I had nominated six then I think you would have a point!

Love

Karen

[karen]

Think there's only two candidates on here - John and SteveE.

Are there any others?

Love

Karen

[John MH]

I would also encourage you to study the voting slip and look closely at who has proposed whom; I was surprised to see several names appear more than once and some both as candidates and proposers, that maybe the norm but if you want to see change, as in any election, then vote accordingly.

As someone who proposed two nominees I would like to make a couple of points.

Firstly when someone who wants to stand for General Council asks you to nominate them, I feel that it is an honour that they think that your nomination will help their election chances. It is also difficult to say no :roll:

Secondly I have five votes therefore if I believe in five people enough to vote for them, then I should believe in those five people enough to nominate them should they ask me.

If I had nominated six then I think you would have a point!

Love

Karen

Karen

It is not meant as a criticism and I'm sure it's quite normal but does look a little odd. The main thing is that people are prepared to stand, as you yourself have encouraged on this board.

John

[karen]

It is not meant as a criticism and I'm sure it's quite normal but does look a little odd. The main thing is that people are prepared to stand, as you yourself have encouraged on this board.

John

Don't worry it wasn't taken as a criticism - I can see where you're coming from and in some elections such as team captains I would agree but when you have five votes its a bit different.

I am glad to see so many people standing - I intend to vote for two current incumbents, two newcomers and one still to be decided (I had decided but having re-read the CVs earlier today might just change my mind).

It's not an easy election is it? I could easily vote for nearly all of them!

Love

Karen

[karen]

PS and that does include you John

[Watcher]

Thanks for doing this FB. I've been studying the papers and agonising where to place my votes. I have two questions I'm looking for answers to. Firstly; as a TR shooter who spends 95% of my time at Altcar and only occasional visits to Bisley I'm interested in what candidates will do for the regions. Secondly; as someone who is keen to make connections between shooting and the Scout movement I'm interested in what candidates will do to foster the sport amongst the young - with an emphasis again on the 'provinces' and perhaps not just a few public schools.