b.a.s.c

[decoying mad]

received a letter today asking for £35 pound or what ever i can spare to help conserve our sport.

 

any 1 else had this

[CZ550Kevlar]

received a letter today asking for £35 pound or what ever i can spare to help conserve our sport.

 

any 1 else had this

 

Nope, not a thing. Renewal just came through and nothing there either.

[Rizzini]

just had the renewal letter come in, But i paid online so did not get offered to donate.

[decoying mad]

i joined basc 2 month ago which are a great organisation but to ask for a donation is abit ott.

the letter says;

 

BASC General Election Appeal-Together we can win the battle for shooting

There will be a general election at any time in the next few months. This will produce massive changes in our politics. More M.Ps are expected to retire at any time since 1945. There will be a dramatic influx of new faces in both the commons and the lords. The result could be close with talk of a hung parliament or government with a minority administration. Uncertainty is dangerous for shooting which can become a political football exploited by a well organised minority. This presents special challenges to BASC and the political representation of shooting sports.

 

Thanks to BASC shooting currently enjoys huge support across the parties. We have been able to head off threats and shape policy that affects us. This is the result of hard, often unpublicised, work at Westminister and Whitehall. Our task with a new parliament and government will be even greater.

 

Since the last electio in 2005 we have helped reform the all party group on shooting, which bring together our supporters in both houses. We have advised ministers and M.Ps on legislation ranging from costal access to general licenses and secured promises of future manisfesto commitments to support shooting. In the proceedings of the animal welfare bill we fought off a ban of the docking of the tails of working gun dogs in England. By working closely with cival servants BASC ensured that game licenses, licences to dealing game and the ban of selling game during the closed season have been removed and market for game expanded. Most recently we have defeated a call to ban the sale of shot woodpigeon.

 

Protecting our sport in politics is not cheap and after the election we will face gretaer costs because of the massive inlux of new M.Ps. I am asking you to invest a little more in ensuring the sport you love can be promoted at a critical time. A donation of £35, or whatever you can afford, will help us expand this vital work.

[davecooper1]

Yes I also got one of these letters this morning.

[Dekers]

Flippin 'ek, no doubt an envelope will hit my door mat soon, just think how much they would have to spend if they didn't send out 100,000+ begging letters!!

 

Edited February 13, 2010 by Dekers

[Dunkield]

They are only asking - no one is forcing you to cough up if you don't want to

[kennym]

me too

[decoying mad]

is any 1 going to help

[Sussexboy]

The Countryside Alliance often send out such letters, why does nobody complain about them???

[Wesman]

The CA just take money from your account to support their manifesto. I'll be joining BASC in march when my CA insurance runs out

[Glenshooter]

Isn't it fantastic that the BASC are taking the initiative to preserve our sport? The antis can easily raise money have have Big Gun labour sporters and you're moaning about being asked to contribute £35?

[Quist]

I may have some differences with them but they and the G&WCT are the best we've got at the moment.

I'll be supporting them with a donation

[webber]

Its an invitation to donate, not a demand. Just bin it if you don't agree with such methods, or don't wish to donate. I do.

 

Some times I have a £10 punt at the gun competitions and occasional raffle that BASC runs, sometimes I don't. I like to support the organisation that helps to keep me shooting, but don't feel obliged to stick my hand in my pocket evertime a competition or request for a donation drops onto the doormat.

 

You've joined the best shooting organisation in Britain; support it in whatever manner you are able, and enjoy your shooting.

 

webber

[decoying mad]

Isn't it fantastic that the BASC are taking the initiative to preserve our sport? The antis can easily raise money have have Big Gun labour sporters and you're moaning about being asked to contribute £35?

moaning no im not. but only just got with them just thought it was abit over the top when you have just paid £64 pound for the year. but if you are fealing flush make a donation for me

[Greenhunter]

Had the Letter yesterday and was contemplating a tenner as a gesture but then I read it properly today and the bit which said it costs £80 to take a Member of Parliament clay shooting made me think twice.

 

Perhaps they should go to a cheaper ground and perhaps not be quite so convivial afterward!!!

 

 

 

 

 

GH

[Christopher Graffius]

Had the Letter yesterday and was contemplating a tenner as a gesture but then I read it properly today and the bit which said it costs £80 to take a Member of Parliament clay shooting made me think twice.

 

Perhaps they should go to a cheaper ground and perhaps not be quite so convivial afterward!!!

 

 

 

 

 

GH

 

Thanks for the reactions to BASC's general election appeal. A couple of points in answer to the questions raised.

 

We haven't sent the appeal to everyone - just to those who from our research on past appeals are likely to give. This means that we're less likely to bother those who won't donate and it also reduces the overall costs of the appeal and leave more to be put into defending and promoting shooting in politics. Those who haven't received the letter will still have the chance to donate via the website if they wish.

 

This isn't an annual event. The last time we appealed for funds for political work was in 2005, prior to the election. The funds raised underpinned our parliamentary work, particularly with the Labour Party in government. They contributed to ensuring that shooting was not affected by the Hunting Act, the Labour Charter of Shooting, the appointment of the first party representative for shooting and the preservation of the general licence. The funds helped us build the personal links to the key people that meant that shooting's voice was heard and acted on, on a host of subjects from ensuring that the planning system was not imposed on occasional clay shoots to preserving the right of 14 year olds to hunt with airguns on land where they have permission. Frankly the funds ensured that we could hit harder and with more effect in a governmnet that was thought to be unsympathetic to shooting.

 

After May we're going to have an even tougher challenge with the biggest change in MPs since 1945 - and the overwhelming majority of them will have no experience of shooting sports. There may also be serious political uncertainty - particularly if there's a hung parliament, a minority administration or a small majority. Shooting is always at risk in those situations because they can be exploited by an organised minority.

 

For the forum member who's just joined - please don't take offence. Some recent members are keen to give extra support to the association and to particular work. It's entirely a matter of personal choice.

 

Finally, the reason that an MP's clay lesson costs is that we have to use the clay grounds closest to parliament. It's difficult enough to persuade MPs to leave the House and given their diaries, time is of the essence. The two closest venues to Westminster are the West London Shooting School and Holland and Holland and they're not the cheapest - we don't normally have the time for more than a coffee and any entertainment is limited to a sandwich. But the money is well spent. Breaking a few clays and talking to shooters can change an MPs attitude in a morning.

 

Christopher

[MC]

Christopher,

 

I wouldn't bother trying to justify anything to this lot, if your letter had said the MP's pay for themselves to come clay shooting you would get someone knocking BASC over it.

 

There is a hardcore of people on this forum who think that BASC are a bunch of champagne swilling hoo ray henries who all drive brand new Range Rover Sports.

 

Keep up the good work

 

Martin

[Christopher Graffius]

Christopher,

 

I wouldn't bother trying to justify anything to this lot, if your letter had said the MP's pay for themselves to come clay shooting you would get someone knocking BASC over it.

 

There is a hardcore of people on this forum who think that BASC are a bunch of champagne swilling hoo ray henries who all drive brand new Range Rover Sports.

 

Keep up the good work

 

Martin

 

If that's the case I missed out when they were distributing cars! I'm also miffed because the rest of them must be quaffing champagne without telling me!

 

By the way nobody here's called Henry and its the most socially varied office I've ever worked in.

 

Christopher

[Mungler]

Had the Letter yesterday and was contemplating a tenner as a gesture but then I read it properly today and the bit which said it costs £80 to take a Member of Parliament clay shooting made me think twice.

 

Perhaps they should go to a cheaper ground and perhaps not be quite so convivial afterward!!!

 

GH

 

 

LOL there are some people that really can't see any further than the end of their nose.

 

So then, what price would you pay on having an MP all to yourself (ooeerr, in a non sexual way of course) and out shooting with you? I reckon a professional lobby company would charge a few thousand for that.

 

What price would you put on taking the MP clay shooting and have him really enjoy it? I am mindful that everyone who I have taken clay shooting has come back for more - it's all about exposing people to the sport and having them enjoy it. So, what if chummy MP made some new friends that day, really liked it and decided that shooting was worthy of more policitical support?

 

Seems like quite an opportunity for just £80

[al4x]

Interestingly president Sarcozy is in trouble for reviving a sporting estate over there and using it to entertain politically, a bit of boar hunting would liven up a few politicians over here!

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/worl...icle7025629.ece

Edited February 15, 2010 by al4x

[RC45]

Can anyone tell me if the manufacturers help with support. I would have thought it would benefit them, if politicians are on board. I am sure the big names would benefit if the sport had a wider audience.

 

Phil

[tomhw100]

I haven't received one yet.Does it come with your monthly mag?

 

Tom

[David BASC]

Not every member has been sent a letter, but of course anyone could make a donation.

 

The Shooting Industry Fund was set up after Dunblane by the shooting industry to contribute into a big pot 'fighting fund' to cater I guess for the next 'disaster' and launch a counter media campaign.

 

However, I guess a call to the SiF to ask them to help contribute to future events should be made, after all they can only say yes or no!

 

I know the SiF have sponsored seminars in the past, but over and above that I can’t find much on the web about the SiF, but as I say I think their main strategy is building the big pot to be used in times of crisis, BASC take a double pronged approach – building cash reserves AND having a rolling political / media campaign.

 

As has been said, this is a request for donations, not a demand! Some can contribute some cannot, and it is better to ask then just assume of course. If you can, please do donate, even if it’s a couple of quid; if you cant, then that’s fine too and thank you for your continued support of BASC

 

There is of course merit in the SiF strategy, just like there is merit in all of us having a small fire extinguisher in the kitchen, but far better to do all can to prevent the fire in the first place, and then having a professional fire fighting team on hand by dialling 999!

 

Best wishes

 

David

[reddan]

I would rather have this through my door than the other requests for cash/clothes. We get so many plastic bags asking for this and that I don't even look at them anymore. That being said I did put an old DJ in one bag, I kinda like the idea that there is someone in africa wearing a full on tux and bowtie combo.

 

Not being tight with this, I give to charity in other orginised events like Children In Need etc, just don't need the stuff through my door everyday.

 

Dan

Edited February 15, 2010 by reddan