We have collated some common queries here. If you need any more information feel free to email or phone us;
Q: Can I “Have a go or join for a day” to see if I like it?
A: No.
The club operates under an approval granted by the Home Office. A condition of that approval is that no club will operate a “…day or temporary membership scheme”. This applies to ALL clubs.
The reason for this is that a club must provide the details of anyone who applies for membership to the police before the person is given access to firearms. This is so that the police are able to take action against any potentially unsuitable person before they are given access to firearms. You can therefore be sure that every member has been thoroughly vetted by the police before they are allowed to handle firearms.
Any Home Office approved rifle club (approval is a requirement for any club which accepts members who do not have their own personal firearm certificate) which is offering a “try before you join” type of arrangement is in breach of their conditions of approval.
Q: Can an existing member bring a guest?
A: Yes – on our official guest days.
The Home Office approval criteria allow a club to hold up to twelve guest days per year. Guests must be known personally to a full (not probationary) member of the club and must be supervised by the member on a one-to-one basis whenever they are using or handing firearms or ammunition.
These are the only days when non-members who do not have their own FAC can shoot here.
Q: How does your membership work?
A: Our membership year runs from 1st April to the 31st March. You may join at any point during the membership year.
Regardless of the date of your joining you pay the full subscription fee. You will be sent a renewal pack in our normal renewal notification cycle (usually beginning of March for 1st April due date). If you joined less than 12 months ago your renewal documentation will contain a calculation of your renewal fee based upon the date on which you joined. If you joined on the 1st October, for instance (6 months into our membership year) you would receive a renewal notification for 50% of the annual fee. This brings the majority of members in to line with the club financial year.
We do this for the following reasons:
The club has certain fixed costs in relation to taking new members. We must make police notifications, send out, receive and process referee letters and cover instructor costs from your first payment.
Q: Are there any on-going costs once I’m a member?
A: There are no further costs other than the ammunition and targets you use. Gun hire is £2 but this is only charged in respect of some firearms.
Q: What is probationary membership?
A: All Home Office approved clubs must apply a period of probationary membership to new members. This is so that the club can assess the suitability of that person. We apply a probationary period of 6 months to new members.
The probationary period will usually be reduced to three months if you are proposed by an existing FULL member. The proposing member MUST sign your application form.
The probationary period may be waived in the case of a person who already has a Firearm Certificate or who is a FULL member of another Home Office approved club.