Grampian Air Rifle Club
Grampian Air Rifle Club

                                           Club News

 

                                     The GARC Committee 2023-24

 

Chairman: Mike Simmonds

Vice Chairman: Steve Ludlow

Secretary: Nick Hayward

Treasurer: Dave Smillie

Safety Officer: Chris Ward

Waulkmill Liaison Officer: Paul Bates 

Committee Member: Mike Mackintosh

Committee Member: Nick Rankin 

Committee Member: Bri Munro        

 

Denwood Rifle and Pistol Comps
 
28/10/23.  Update - shoot as many rounds as you like in one evening to get all your scores in before the AGM
 
17/8/23.  A small change to the rules for both the 50m shooters and Pistoleros.  Instead of shooting just one round a week in the comps you can now do two if you like.
 
This is to allow those who can't attend on a regular basis to get enough rounds in.
Membership Renewal 2023
 
 

Last chance - any members wishing to renew have until close of play on Wed. 31/5/23 to do so.  After that, they'll be considered "new" and will have to pay the additional £50 joining fee.

 

 

 

Memberships are due on the 1st May 2023 and we're hoping to get them all processed this month.

 

Please fill in the appropriate form (there's one for single memberships and another for families in the Membership Form page) and return (with photographs) along with the correct amount (cash or cheque.)

 

Adult - £50, Junior - £25, Family - £75 , Disabled - £25 , Senior - £25.

 

Completed forms can either be; 

 

1.  Handed to a committee member throughout April at Denwood or Waulkmill 

2.  Posted directly along with payment to GARC Treasurer -

 

Mr D Smillie,

44 Ramsay Road,

Stonehaven,

Aberdeenshire.

AB39 2HJ

2/4/23.  The 50m Competition is under way and the few rules we have are largely set out

 

It's a simple affair - five spinners set at varying ranges and two shots at each.  A point for a hit, zero for a miss.  10 rounds over the course of Spring/Summer.  The winner gets fame, increased sex appeal, the respect and admiration of their fellow shooters and, perhaps, a trophy.

 

Any rifle, any calibre, any sights*, free to enter and the shooting will be seated at a table with any sort of rest or bipod you like.  Enquire on the 50m range and someone'll sort you out.  Further details are available on the dedicated page and thread on the GARC Forum.

 

Give it a bash, it'll be fun.

 

* Within reason - let's not have any ballistic calculator devices please.

 

Annual General Meeting 2022
 
Our 2022 Annual General Meeting went quite smoothly with a (partial) changing of the guard, no fatalities and very few arrests.
 

The highlights are that the Club is in a healthy state, the lease on the Denwood grounds has been extended at no great extra cost so our shooting there is secure, membership renewal has been put back until April and there were some changes to the Committee.  

 

Not standing for re-election were Dale, Pamela, Paul S, Steve L and Bri.  They were replaced with Dave as Treasurer, Mike as Committee Member without portfolio and Nick H as Secretary (with transitional support from Steve L.)  Please give them your help and all possible support.

 

Bri continues to run the Club Website and Forum although this is no longer a Committee position.

 

A more detailed description of events will doubtless follow.

 

16/8/22.  When you look at the date of the last entry, you'd be forgiven for thinking that GARC is a pretty inactive AG Club.  

 

Nothing could be further from the truth.  In the two years of Covid -19 rubbish, we've seen great efforts put in from various members (we know who they are) to keep the spirit of the Club going with extensive, detailed plans for shooting while staying safe and various other schemes for getting our trigger time fix under challenging conditions.

 

However, it's time to draw a line under Covid and move on.  Consequently, with respect and thanks to the author(s) who put so much time into it, all the previously printed Covid guidance has been consigned to the recycle bin and, fingers crossed, will never be needed again.

 

With that said, let's look forward and make some new news.

24/9/20.  The nights are drawing in but GARC members continue to  shoot under the watchful eye of Master of Ceremonies, Black Tony.

Our 2019 AGM saw some changes to the Committee.  Bill and Chris N have stepped down and we thank them for their service.  Filling the vacant Range Safety Officer position is Chris W and Tony has taken over as Keyholder.  Support them as best you can.

 

Steve L also expressed a wish to withdraw from the Committee but is hanging on until we find a replacement.  Any takers?

The Minutes of the 2019 AGM can be viewed here -

GARC AGM MoM 20-11-19.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [61.7 KB]

Police Scotland have sent out a letter to all Scottish AirGun Clubs regarding some issues at Competition Shoots.  Please read and always act responsibly.

 

Police Scotland 10-10.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [630.7 KB]

We now have a GARC Online Forum.  The idea behind it is to aid contact and communication between Club members.

 

It's easy to use - just click on the link in the GARC Forum page, register by creating an ID and password and away you go. 

 

Forums thrive or wither depending on the participation of users and only time will tell if it becomes a useful feature so let's see what the uptake is like and take it from there.

Thanks to the efforts of our illustrious Field Marshal Paul Bates, every Sunday is now a Waulkmill Sunday.  It's also half price so you can go twice as often!

 

Competition and Sales Days

As raised at the AGM, The first Wednesday Denwood session of every month is going to be Sales Day - bring along any kit you have for sale, stick it on the gunrack and see what happens.

 

And the last Wednesday of the month will be Competition Time as Chris Ward will be cajoling us all into some interesting shooting challenges - money, prizes and perhaps trophies or bags of chips will be up for grabs so keep an eye on the Competitons and Events page.

Chris Ward has been voted onto the Committee at the recent AGM to organise competitions.  His title hasn't been agreed yet but, because my suggestion of Concert Party Commissioner a la It Ain't 'Alf Hot Mum was ignored, we're going with Competiton Co-ordinator in the meantime.  Give him your support and feel free to bombard him with ideas for future events.

The Minutes of the 2018 AGM can be viewed here -

2 GARC AGM MoM 21-11-18.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [60.1 KB]

Dale "Barney" Barnfather has stepped down as a committee member due to a new posting in Lincolnshire.  We wish him all the best in his future endeavours.

A new Committee position has been created - Waulkmill Liaison Officer.

 

Field Marshal Paul Bates has selflessly (been) volunteered to be the main point of contact between GARC and George at the Waulkmill shooting range.

Treasurer, gunsmith and HFT'er Dale Harris has been recognised by AirGun Gurus for his commitment to GARC and Airgunning with a Certificate of Commendation.

Nominated by Bill Howie, Dale is 2018's first recipient of this honour - well done, Sir!

See the AirGun Gurus page here    https://www.airgungurus.com/air

 

Update - the previously excellent Airgun Gurus website has suffered a catastrophic "improvement" and the link doesn't work now but, take our word for it, Dale was in there.

 


       Letter to all GARC Members from the GARC Committee.

 

At the GARC 2017 AGM, held on 22nd November, it was agreed a letter explaining some of the discussions (and including the minutes) would be sent to all members.

 

In accord with the GARC Air Weapon Certificate, the Club is limited to a membership of 120.  We are approaching that limit and envisage the possibility of a waiting list for membership.  Looking at the attendance record sheets for the Denwood and Waulkmill shooting venues, it appears some members joined GARC as a convenience for their Air Weapon Certificate application. 

 

As a responsible club wanting an active membership, and facing the prospect of a waiting list, a minimum attendance requirement has been set:


12 shooting evenings/days (Denwood and/or Waulkmill) per year INCLUDING
6 shooting evenings/days (Denwood and/or Waulkmill) in any 6 month period.
In exceptional circumstances the GARC Committee has the authority to waive all or part of the attendance requirement.


Achievement of this minimum attendance requirement will be considered at the time of receiving membership renewal application.
Membership renewal and payment of membership fees is due during December 2017.

 

To aid access to current (and time dependant) Club information, Bri Munro has volunteered to be the Webmaster (garcweb@outlook.com) for the GARC website (www.grampian-air-rifle-club.co.uk).  For Information, the GARC facebook page is @GrampianAirRifleClub.


If they so wish, any member can provide their email address to garc.secretary@gmail.com for inclusion in a distribution list of GARC communications.  The list will include only current members.

 

And finally - Land acquisition.  If you are aware, or become aware, of any potential land that could be suitable for GARC usage, criteria being:


Minimum 6 acres, preferably 8
Has Shooting Rights
Free of covenants that are restrictive
Suitable for all GARC activities, not just HFT


then please contact a committee member or email garc.secretary@gmail.com

 

Thank you and safe shooting.

GARC Secretary.

As of January 1st 2017, everyone that goes to Denwood or Waulkmill MUST sign in and out WHETHER THEY ARE SHOOTING OR NOT.   The Registers, in the case of Denwood, will be on the counter directly in front of the door and, at Waulkmill, in the filing cabinet top drawer.

 

This is a stipulation of our Club Approval Status from Police Scotland and must be taken seriously.

 

Failure to sign will result in a warning.  Two warnings gets you a suspension.  Three warnings and you're banned so just sign the book as no-one needs the hassle. 

 

 

 

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