The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

I think that you will find quiet a lot of positive suggestions and plans for the the NRA here if you look, some in response to requests for same from the NRA. I have yet to see any recognition in practice of any of them.

dromia wrote:I think that you will find quiet a lot of positive suggestions and plans for the the NRA here if you look, some in response to requests for same from the NRA. I have yet to see any recognition in practice of any of them.

That's really my main point. We hear positive and negative comments and lots and lots of suggestions and offers to help the NRA but if they do listen to the suggestions or even act on them, we have no idea because we don't get regular feedback from them.

Everyone has their own ideas about how a bad business should be turned around, but very few have the motivation, experience or gumption to actually do anything about it, as Fred is saying.

My feeling right now is let's see who the new Chief Executive is going to be, give them a reasonable amount of time to get their feet under the table and then judge them on their actions and ability to communicate their strategy with the members. Then we'll know if Bisley has a future.

To be honest I'm more interested in The NRA's future than Bisley's

FredB mentions that he is surprised about the attitude of some of the forum members, FredB also mentions that there is a shooter running the NRA now.

I am not in the least bit surprised...
The only ones from the NRA who have listened to what the forum members have suggested in the past are the ones who are already forum members. Listening and acting are two different things and it has not always been possible for them to act, in fact some of them have been outright stopped from acting by people from higher up in the NRA. I would like to add here that I really do welcome their input on this forum, I think they are all lovely people.

Earlier in the year I was informed that the people higher up in the NRA ranks have no interest in what the forum members are saying and no interest in the forum.
One of the words used was "insignificant"
I was also informed that the content of the NRA section could potentially be the cause of a law suit so I locked it to avoid further damning threads.

Nothing I have said here has not been said before, either by me or other people on this forum in other threads with similar topic.

IMHO it takes more than forum members / NRA members to change the direction of the NRA. The NRA has it's own agenda and I really hope that whoever the shooter is knows that it really is the trustees who are running the show and not him.

The Cupcake Kid wrote: Here are a couple of questions for people on here:

1. Would you be bothered if the NRA ceased to exist tomorrow?
2. Would you be bothered if Bisley closed tomorrow?
3. If the NRA went, does that mean Bisley (as a shooting venue) would go as well?

To dismiss this forum as insignificant demonstrates their arrogance even more. If they bothered to read any of the posts on here they would see that people want the NRA to succeed and Bisley continue!

I'd pay to join a well organised NRA that met many of my needs as a shooter, don't they realise many people are of the same mind!

1. No
2. Yes as there would be national or regional alternative.
3. I sincerely hope not.

Historically the NRA has been a typical case of "Lions led by donkeys"......mostly excellent (but poorly paid) staff trying to do a good job whilst the management fiddled like Nero. The lack of management skills was entirely down to the "old-boy network" system appointing senior staff and management on who you know rather what you know. Bringing a rank or title to the job was considered more important than bringing a real management skill. Over the years a weak Council has allowed those at the top to do pretty much as they please, including making very questionable decisions which seriously undermined the financial position of the NRA, a position that has still not been fully recovered and is at the root of most of the problems.

It is easy to sit back and complain, it is also understandable, as the NRA should be the beacon for shooting in the UK and the membership should be able to be proud of what it stands for and proud of Bisley as the home of Rifle Shooting. Instead, I for one, am ashamed of what has gone before and ashamed of what Bisley has become. The plain fact is that unlike the Labour Party the NRA are not going to spend money they have not got.

Time alone will tell but I do sincerely believe that the new mangement of the NRA, together with a leaner and more motivated and better lead staff WILL turn things around. I would also add that I think the Staff at Bisley are doing an excellent job in difficult circumstances and deserve our support. I have worked for a company that could be best described as a sinking ship, I know what it feels like to have a management that is blind to all problems, concerned only with their status, whilst you try to do your best with no support and no thanks. I also know what it feels like when a new management comes along with new ideas and with the very real prospect of job losses....including yours....

It has been said here that the NRA is Target Rifle centric.....yes, well it is, that is what it was established to be. Like the Cycle Touring Club is bicycle centric....it is also said that the NRA is Bisley centric.....yes, well it would be, that is where it is located and where the National Shooting Centre is. So what else can it be?

The idea that not being a member of the NRA will somehow improve matters is very shortsighted (although I do understand the frustration expressed here)....and here is a considerable proplem...it is one of numbers, the membership of the NRA is very low and thus income is too. To cut the fees, which has happened in the past, only leads to less revenue. To increase the fees only leads to fewer members and again less revenue.

Putting ideas to the NRA has been like banging your head against a brick wall, the attitude of some to the members and to, say, this Forum, has been nothing short of a downright disregard of the shooters on whom the NRA rely and for whom the NRA was constituted in the first place. I hope that things will change.

I did resign as a member some years ago when I was made aware of some of the "goings on" at the top, the results of which we can still see today, but rejoined when things started to change. That change has been very slow in coming but is, I hope, picking up pace.

There is much to do before the NRA is on a sound footing and much more to do before they can really be considered a National organisation representing all shooters in the UK and one that can provide facilities that the membership deserve and need.

Targetman,

This comment I so agree with.

...has been nothing short of a downright disregard of the shooters on whom the NRA rely and for whom the NRA was constituted in the first place

Now, I really hope things will change, I know there are some fantastic people working for the NRA and they are doing an outstanding job.

I am a member and I will continue to be one however I am not blind to what is happening.

I aggree with a lot of the points previously , good and bad. The one that made me think was the one about nobody coming up with any ideas so here's one !

All shooters and I mean all shooters join the NRA for one year ? I would be prepared to forget what they have done in the past and give them a year to show real improvement ? I'm not sure how much membership is but in comparison to the price of our sport I'm sure it's pretty reasonable ? This would give the NRA a serious injection of cash , some way of ensuring the old guard don't get to squander this last chance cash would need to be in place and the accounts would need to be beyond transparent!

The very forums we all use could be the vehicle to spread the word ?

Anybody else got any ideas ?

WE NEED TO SAVE OUR SPORT AND GIVE IT A VOICE THAT'S HEARD !

Tackb has a point, we all know once a range is gone it is gone and we see houses instead.

dromia wrote:To be honest I'm more interested in The NRA's future than Bisley's

then shame on you for wishing another range away!