Secretaries Page
Headley Park RPC Newsletter, 8th July 2020Dear member,
Where to start, its been the strangest year I can recall in our history. Six months ago I could not of imagined such a situation and yet here we are. This is our first ever attempt at using email to communicate with everyone and paper versions of this newsletter have been sent to the 27 people who we do not hold an email address for. Sadly shooting has been lumped in with the leisure and outdoor sports sector by the Government and so we are still having to live with no more than 6 people on a range and 2m distancing plus the irritation that our firing sheds meet the definition of indoor space despite being open along one side. In order to start shooting again following the total shutdown that came with lockdown we find ourselves guided by information from our national bodies and in our case most particularly we need to pay attention to the guidance given by the NSRA as following all of their guidance forms part of our compulsory Public Liability cover.
Your committee continues to function after a fashion using email and we hope to try out a zoom meeting in the not to distant future. We need an AGM and it had been planned to hold it in May but Covid put paid to that. We very much hope to be able to hold an AGM in the 4th quarter of this year but this will be dependant on whatever rules are in place regarding gatherings of people so its very much an aspirational thought at the moment.
We have also been subject to a noise complaint from a neighbour in February, the first in 12 years and so I would ask you to think a little before shooting off that box of magnum ammunition when target loads could do the job just as well. On the positive side of things Tim Gardener with the help of socially distanced members has put in an enormous effort to bring our ranges up to spec. I can’t recall them looking so good in a long time and we owe him and his team much thanks. Tim has planted over 500 trees with a view to helping ameliorate our sound output for the benefit of our neighbours. This also provides a general environmental benefit as extra trees mean less carbon dioxide. In order to make the 100yd range compliant with the definition of not being an indoor space we have removed part of the backwall of this range. So the good news is that you will be able to shoot on the 100yd. The bad news is that without a back wall the sound of shooting will travel straight towards the house owned by the sound complainant so I ask you on a temporary basis to please only use .22 Long Rifle firearms and ammunition on the 100yds.
So the temporary current situation that we find ourselves in is that none of us can just turn up to the range and shoot in the way that we used to. It is forbidden under the new Govt. regulations. All shooting must now be pre-booked via a system known as Eventbrite. This is to ensure that no more than 6 people including any Range Officers are on any given range. It also helps with track and trace procedures should a range user test positive for Covid19.
We will stop offering just the two supervised afternoon shooting sessions from Wednesday to Sunday that you were booking via email and move to a situation where you will have the choice of 3 different sessions seven days a week on 3 ranges. The eventbrite system allows for last minute bookings so its usable on the day you decide you might want to shoot. However it is vital that you use the booking system and DO NOT JUST TURN UP ON THE RANGE. The booking system will simply not allow overcrowding to happen. The ranges have been set up to be compliant with Covid19 guidance so please do not move things about. All of our range buildings very irritatingly fall into the legal definition of enclosed spaces and with the exception of the 100yd range you will have to shoot from a firing point that is in front of the range sheds. This means that the 50m range effectively becomes a 45m range and the 25m range becomes 20m it also means that when it rains you and your equipment will get wet as you may not use the range shed so it might well be advisable to check the weather forecast prior to booking. Only on the 100yds you will still have a roof over your heads and be able to stay dry.
Here are the most upto date Phase One Covid rules for shooting at Headley Park please read them carefully. If you choose to book a range space and shoot it will be under the assumption that you have read them and you will follow them. It is not shooting as we know it, with the chance to socialise with like minded members, but it will at least give you an opportunity to shoot should you want to. Things are continually changing and as this happens so the Phase One rules will adapt. So please check on the website to make sure you are up to date with any changes. Obviously none of the formal shoots listed in the club calendar will currently take place. It is hoped that we will start to reintroduce them as part of Phase Two. No novice (non FAC holding) shooters will be allowed in this initial phase and membership applications for non certificate holders are currently on hold.
EMERGENCY COVID19 PHASE ONE RULES:
Please note: The Pit/Training range will remain closed for this initial phase, we will just be using
the 25m, 50m and 100yd ranges. The club is not available for general shooting at this time.
YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO JUST TURN UP TO THE RANGE AND SHOOT – ALL
SESSIONS MUST BE PRE-BOOKED USING EVENTBRITE BEFORE SHOOTING.
The 100yd, 50m and 25m ranges will all be available in a limited way as governed by these additional rules. Firing points have been taped off to provide correct social distancing. Please do not alter this. The 100yd range will have 4 available firing points that will be double width: points 3/4, 7/8, 11/12, and 15/16. The 50m range will have 4 available points: 1, 4, 7, and 10. The 25m will offer a total of 5 available points: 1, 5, 8, 11 and 14. Each firing point will be available for three 2 hour pre-booked sessions seven days a week. The sessions will run from 10.00 to 12.00 and 13.00 to 15.00 and 16.00 to 18.00. All shooting with the exception of the 100yd range will take place from firing points in front of the range sheds that are classed as an indoor area. You are able to move through the range buildings but not spend any time in them. I strongly suggest checking weather forecasts before booking or bringing a good umbrella and/or waterproof with you. Eventbrite allows last minute booking on the day so you should be able to sort out a dry day.
At this time we expect all members booking shooting slots to be using their own insurance cover (eg BASC, NRA individual membership) providing a minimum of £10 million pounds of public liability cover. Can I remind everyone that you cannot shoot on your own using the clubs insurance cover. Those who want to shoot using the club insurance must ensure that another member books a range slot at the same time on the same range so thus ensuring you are both then covered under the club policy. Club insurance requires at least two members to be present.
Clearly if you fall into an "at risk" group, such as any person over the age of 70, you are advised not to attend the club as doing so will by default increase your risk from Covid19. Certificate holding probationary members may still shoot but they must still be supervised by a full member and must make arrangements for such supervision prior to booking range space.
Do not attend the range if you are exhibiting any Covid19 symptoms. If you have been shooting at the club and subsequently test positive for Covid19 you must inform us immediately so that we can take the appropriate steps to limit any further infection.
You must provide your own face covering, gloves and hand gel and wipes (personal protective equipment, PPE). You must use your PPE when handling anything that you have not personally brought to the range and protect yourself from your items that have come into contact with any part of the range eg cartridge brass. Treat all common surfaces as if contaminated. A supply of cleaning spray and wipes will be available in the 25m and 50m ranges to support the cleaning of club equipment rather than as an alternative to using your own.
You will need to use your PPE from the moment you open the range gate and raise the red flag. The gate code is now reset to its normal combination as shown on your membership badge. Please be prompt and do not arrive any sooner than 30 minutes before your booked arrival time and again please leave in a timely fashion at the end of your session. Aim to touch nothing and spend the minimum amount of time on the firing point. Do not bring large quantities of shooting equipment with you just bring the minimum you need. Target frames will already be set up ready for you to staple your target on.
Please park with a thought to leaving sufficient distance between cars and observe social distancing 2m rules. Go directly to your range and not spend time socialising in the range buildings these are classed as enclosed spaces and spending time there will increase your risk of exposure to infection. Sadly this is not shooting as we know it so please refrain from socialising on the firing points - just keep to the necessary range commands. You are required to clean your shooting table both before and after shooting. After shooting please take with you all of your rubbish, used gloves, masks, wipes and targets. No food or drink is to be brought into the club or consumed at the club. The toilet will remain closed due to the problems of keeping it clean and virus free.
Please use breech flags and other obvious systems to make it clear to others the unloaded status of your firearm without the need for any RO handling to ensure clear. Remember: metal is the surface that the virus lives longest on. Do not clean your guns on the range - please do this at home.
Please behave as though you were carrying the virus – leave surfaces clean and limit the risk to yourself and to others. Asymptomatic infection is the big risk – you may feel fine but you could be spreading virus. Members who fail to follow this code will be excluded with no right of appeal in order to protect other members.
So if having read all of the above you want to start shooting again your next step is to check your individual insurance cover is upto date or make arrangements with another member to shoot with you and use the Eventbrite links to make your range bookings you can of course book a double slot to give yourself more time but please don’t overbook so all can get a chance to shoot:
(For security, the Eventbrite links are not included in this web hosted version of the newsletter, but are in the version you should receive by email.)
I cannot wait until we can go back to normal and no doubt things will continue to change so please visit the website regularly and look for updates. Stay safe.
Rod Philpott
Hon. Secretary Headley Park Rifle and Pistol Club
Contact the club secretary by email
