Kent Wildfowler’s Press Release

[harkom]

well then ...your favourite organisation ...?basc.... may not be doing so well in dealing with access issues for 'fowlers on long standing fowling grounds.... lindisfarne, caerlaverock, wigtown, findhorn.... how many more to add to the list...??

try looking in pw wildfowling page.

[ShootingEgg]

Oh good another lets bash basc thread. 

Lindisfarne is NE Being unable to negotiate with the land owner, not much basc can do about that one seeing as its between owner and NE. 

Why dont the clubs give it a go, if basc are so rubbish maybe the clubs can do better? 

[Ajarrett]

Yes, Diss4111, doing very well thank you.

635 members as of today and counting!

[Ajarrett]

interesting reaction from KWCA members to the decision to disaffiliate from BASC last December.

Members had already paid their BASC fees to the club, and were therefore entitled to a rebate against 2018/19 subscriptions. Alternatively if they left the club they were entitled to a refund.

So far only 1 member has left and claimed their refund. Over £6,000 has been donated to the club by renewing members.

Membership continues to grow with 7 new members joining in the last 2 days. Total membership approaching 700.

Alan 

[Ajarrett]

Good to see Shooting Times publishing KWCA press releases again after a lengthy 'blackout'!

[panoma1]

3 hours ago, Ajarrett said:

Good to see Shooting Times publishing KWCA press releases again after a lengthy 'blackout'!

The only problem I can see Alan, is that nobody reads ****ting tombs anymore! 😕

[Seadog1408]

Some people do.

[Old Boggy]

11 hours ago, Seadog1408 said:

Some people do.

The sales of ST is now down to 14000 from 50000 not so long ago. Sadly not what it used to be.

OB

[JJsDad]

54 minutes ago, Old Boggy said:

now down to 14000

Now down to 13999 as I cancelled my direct debit last week. In the days of Goff Thomas, Colin Willock and a few others, I used to spend time reading all their articles. The last few years I found less and less that appealed and after a 5 minute flip through it was discarded. About the only contributer who seemed to have anything interesting to say is Alasdair Mitchell (Sharpshooter).

[Old Boggy]

1 hour ago, JJsDad said:

Now down to 13999 as I cancelled my direct debit last week. In the days of Goff Thomas, Colin Willock and a few others, I used to spend time reading all their articles. The last few years I found less and less that appealed and after a 5 minute flip through it was discarded. About the only contributer who seemed to have anything interesting to say is Alasdair Mitchell (Sharpshooter).

Couldn`t agree more, although I do enjoy Bill Harriman`s and Tony Jackson`s contributions also.

 

[riptide]

AUKWC (Association of UK Wildfowling Clubs )  has now been  working hard at the coal face to protect wildfowling in the UK ,instigated by 14 of us back in Oct 2016  with a meeting at Marford MIll at the invite of Peter Glenser  as we sent him a signed open letter of discontent  now have about 60 clubs backing us as associates and contributors ..And are fighting hard aginst NE over the Consent issue  and now a few other topics ,,Speak to your clubs officials to find out more about us .

Here is part of a mail to all clubs supporting the Association ..I will add here we have nothing to do with Kent  at all ,though they did send a member of Kent to the London meeting  .. 

The AUKWC sent their  response to the NE DRAFT after the London meeting /workshop back in late April  to N/E on behalf of the AUKWC before the deadline yesterday.  The only thing we need to do is to update our list of members/endorsers. Please could you all email me direct to confirm your support and that of your club if applicable. Could I also ask our joint council reps to now spread the word to the other clubs you represent and ask them to contact me also confirming their support. Now would be a good time to mention that Mat Holloway has settled Thyme Consultants latest invoice and we now have a zero balance. We really need to step up the fundraising. Many clubs out their are trying to find out about what we are doing so its time to spread the word and try to get more funds in.

Hope you can all help with this important stage! We could do with getting more than  the sixty clubs  to stand with us ! 

 

 

Association of UK Wildfowling Clubs (AUKWC)

 

Background to the AUKWC

 

The AUKWC, as the name suggests, is an association/collective formed by likeminded wildfowling club representatives from around the UK to respond to anything or anyone that is identified or perceived to be a threat to the sport of traditional wildfowling in the UK.

 

At its inception, the wildfowling club representatives came from the various Joint Councils, Wildfowling Club Forums and Regional Associations etc. representing wildfowling clubs from all regions of the UK. This gradually built up to the current position in which over 60 clubs are involved with and represented by the AUKWC.

 

The representatives identified common grounds for concern. The initial concerns/perceived threats to wildfowling which prompted this move were those associated with the actions of the UK Government’s advisers for the natural environment. As the competent authority in England, Natural England (NE) is responsible for consenting all wildfowling related activity on European protected sites.

 

This consenting process has thrown up problems and threats to traditional wildfowling over a number of years. As a result of pressure exerted on NE from the wildfowling community, NE announced (2017) a review of the assessment and consenting process for wildfowling on designated sites. A public consultation was set up giving wildfowlers the opportunity to have an input to this review of the consenting process.

 

The AUKWC was formed to ensure that the wildfowling community was effectively represented in this review process and to ensure that the aims to make the process of wildfowling consents more straightforward, transparent, proportionate to, and reflective of the impact and nature of wildfowling, were met.

 

Over 90%? of the clubs within the AUKWC are affiliated to the British Association for shooting and Conservation, (BASC). However, over recent years there has been a loss of confidence in the performance of the Wildfowling Department of the BASC on matters relating to NE and the consenting process.

 

Having voiced these concerns, the clubs within the AUKWC are seeking to work with the BASC towards a more robust stance and position in response to proposed changes by NE that threaten the future of wildfowling.

 

The AUKWC is seeking better communication, consultation and engagement from the BASC for its wildfowling members. It offers a wealth of wildfowling

expertise and experience as well as other resources to be used to protect the best interests of wildfowling and to protect the future of our sport.

 

In the meantime the AUKWC continues to work towards a satisfactory, mutually acceptable resolution within the NE wildfowling consenting review process.

 

 

Mission Statement:

 

Using a wealth of experience, knowledge, expertise and other resources that can be called upon from within the ranks of its considerable membership, (over 60 wildfowling clubs and associations) from around the UK, the AUKWC seeks to work with all organisations to which its associated clubs are affiliated to protect, advance and promote the sport of traditional wildfowling all around the UK.

 

Working in the best interests of wildfowling promoting best practice and the responsible use of wildlife resources, it seeks to work with all UK agencies and organisations to protect the species, sites, habitats and general environments on which the practice of wildfowling relies to achieve a sustainable future for our sport.

 

The AUKWC will robustly defend all aspects of traditional wildfowling and challenge any actions that threaten or are deemed not to be in the best interests of our sport.

 

 

There you go guys we are trying to do something to protect our sport for those yet to come !! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[panoma1]

Thanks for posting that Richard, hopefully those clubs and individuals who value Traditional Wildfowling will recognise what AUKWC are trying to achieve, and join us!

[wymberley]

6 hours ago, Old Boggy said:

The sales of ST is now down to 14000 from 50000 not so long ago. Sadly not what it used to be.

OB

Back then I always considered it to be a text book in weekly instalments

[Ajarrett]

Here is part of a mail to all clubs supporting the Association ..I will add here we have nothing to do with Kent  at all ,though they did send a member of Kent to the London meeting  .. 

 

Yes Richard,

As the country's largest club by a country mile we will continue to be involved in consent issues, without paying any money to your 'consultant' or others too. Have a meeting with NE this week

 

Edited October 7, 2018 by Ajarrett

[riptide]

Thanks for reply Alan hope you managed to get  Kents response in to NE s    Draft by closing time end of September .. The AUKWC sent one in and we sent it to BASC as we want to continue working with Basc to protect the sport !! ..

Cheers  ..Richard 

[Ajarrett]

Committee report this evening: Full members 523; all categories now over 700

 

 

[Diss4111]

On 12/08/2018 at 21:38, Ajarrett said:

Yes, Diss4111, doing very well thank you.

635 members as of today and counting!

 

9 hours ago, Ajarrett said:

Committee report this evening: Full members 523; all categories now over 700

 

 

 

[Ajarrett]

..and your point is?

Edited October 11, 2018 by Ajarrett

[riptide]

Well I am not at all enthusiastic about Long Term Management Plans !!!! at present signing one of them is akin to death by a thousand cuts !!

 

Riptide

[Ajarrett]

Yes Richard - If NE think it a good idea, its likely to be bad for us!

[panoma1]

1 hour ago, Ajarrett said:

Yes Richard - If NE think it a good idea, its likely to be bad for us!

I reached that conclusion long ago!

[Ajarrett]

Upbeat committee meeting yesterday evening.

A further 24 new members in the last month - which is really excellent considering we are now well into the shooting season. Disaffiliation from BASC has had no detrimental effect at all, as we now offer a lower subscription rate and an excellent membership package. We have the club's record level of membership. Membership approaching 750, with more coming through.

We also agreed some changes to the package for Associates which will come into effect immediately, and will make it even more attractive to potential new members. We have scrapped our Try Wildfowling scheme and incorporated that into the Associate membership package. Also offering facilities for non-shooters who work gundogs, again through the Associate membership package.

[greylag]

How big do you envisage KWA becoming?As surely the more members the more admin required and thus more committees.

[Ajarrett]

We have just brought 2 new members on to the committee, and have a 3rd lined up. Increasingly the use of modern technology is making things more doable, and certainly quicker. We realised long ago ( and changed the Rules to allow it) that eventually we will have to employ at least an administrator.

We already pay for external professional advice - accountants; lawyers; land agency, and will pay for what ever else comes along that we cannot do from amongst the membership.

The sky's the limit as the demand for membership will only continue to grow as we continue to expand and diversify. We get so many people come to us with little or no shooting, and are therefore providing an important service in a busy and crowded part of the UK. As I said in a previous post: more members = more  money = more shooting rights = more members .....

[Ttfjlc]

4 hours ago, Ajarrett said:

We have just brought 2 new members on to the committee, and have a 3rd lined up. Increasingly the use of modern technology is making things more doable, and certainly quicker. We realised long ago ( and changed the Rules to allow it) that eventually we will have to employ at least an administrator.

We already pay for external professional advice - accountants; lawyers; land agency, and will pay for what ever else comes along that we cannot do from amongst the membership.

The sky's the limit as the demand for membership will only continue to grow as we continue to expand and diversify. We get so many people come to us with little or no shooting, and are therefore providing an important service in a busy and crowded part of the UK. As I said in a previous post: more members = more  money = more shooting rights = more members .....

I certainly can't fault your enthusiasm and commitment, I'm curious as to whether you struggle with the right balance between number of members and land available to shoot?