karen wrote:If we had loads of money then the NRA would be delivering all over the place - you would be heartily sick of seeing new NRA ranges and clubs being developed!
If all the people who shot joined the NRA then we would have more money to do those things.
We lowered the memberships rates to encourage more people and we did get lots more members but not enough to make a significant difference.
There has been a lot of work to try to reopen Dechmont but unfortunately I don't think it has come to anything - the will is there but finances and bureaucracy have got in the way.
The NRA is NOT a Surrey based club - it wants to do so much for the UK but without the money it can't!
Any millionaires out there who wish to leave all their worldly goods to me or the NRA I promise I will spend it wisely
Love
karen
That just highlights my point exactly, no leadership.
Of course money is an issue but if we follow your logic here then there is no reason to join the NRA as it can't afford to have a national foot print anyway. If our future is dependant on on the luck of an endowment then the NRA can fold now as shooting needs more than that. Do we become proactive and shape our own destiny or just lie back and be a victim.
A good strategic direction for example would be for the NRA to say that by 2015 for example we will be ready to build one regional 1000 yrd range north of Birmingham. To do this we will need £x? million. To raise this sum we will need x number of new members to allow us to borrow £x million, we will also look for x% to come from private sector investment, philanthropy, grants and help in kind supported by £X million from NRA/NSC coffers and income. Setting out tangible costs and targets to scrutiny would enable all to see where they could fit in.
As soon as you do something like that you have a plan, you have something tangible for people to strive for. That would help build regional membership because regional shooters could see a direct benefit from being in the NRA.
The money should not be a barrier, if 75% of UK full bore shooters joined the NRA would this give us enough for regional ranges? I don't know. Does the NRA? Until figures like this are out there then such statements about membership have no value.
We also need to see some lateral and innovative thinking about realising some cash from the asset of Bisley to help regional development, maybe Surrey shooters need to give up a little to help the nation a lot.
Being stuck in a catch 22 situation gets none of us anywhere, I don't think that a stand off 'tween the NRA and UK shooting community is helpfull. It takes leadership, vision and passion to make things happen and that should come from the NRA as the body that puts itself forward to represent UK full bore shooting.
When Glyn Alger took over he was making these noises and I was heartily happy, believing that sense was going to come to the NRA, he visited the regions and appeared to listen and promised to come back and listen regularly, well he isn't doing that anymore and we are once again bereft of leadership and vision to galvanise British shooting.
I am sorry but until the NRA makes a meaningful regional presence it will remain a Surrey based club despite what people like you and I might wish.
Unless the NRA walks its talk its national footprint will be just talk.