Hot News from Sigma

Following the 1997 ban on pistol shooting in England, Scotland and Wales, we need to resurrect the sport of pistol shooting before the 2012 London Olympic Games, this will give all target pistol shooters a chance to prepare and hopefully take part in the Olympics. The following website should provide all the information required for you to give your support. www.ResurrectTheSport.net

Following the conclusion to the recent negotiations between the NRA and MoD, the NRA have just released the new criteria for clubs using both NRA and MoD ranges, there are many more hoops for us all to jump through it's in everyone's interest to read details of some of the hoops here mod.nra.org.uk The Committee will be very busy deciphering and implementing the new requirements, your help and cooperation over the next few months would be appreciated.

The NRA have just released their revised rules for shooting at Bisley, if you intend shooting there please read. Bisley Rules May 2008

Yet another No. 10 Downing Street petition to sign regarding pistol shooting in the UK, its very simple to do.. 546 signatories so far. http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/SmallCallibre/ See also the petition below regarding the 'controversial' venue for the 2012 London Olympics.

Two electronic targets have been booked at Bisley for the morning of Friday 23rd May 500 and 600 yards. Anyone interested please contact Graeme. We have 7 so far.

The NRA have just released a 'News Update' regarding conditions for using MoD ranges and muzzle energy which exceeds 4,500 Joules - see NRA website.

19/03/08 Minutes of the latest Committee Meeting and Club Insurance details for 2008/2009 can be read on the Members Only Page. All members appear to have been able to view the minutes without problem?

The NRA have just released a new Handbook for Gallery Rifle & Pistol shooting GRPHandbook.pdf please read this if you are a competitor in these events.

No.10 Downing Street petition. A protest against the proposed location, massive cost of building and demolition of the proposed venue for the 2012 Olympic shooting events (£18 million at 2006 costings). There are 10,399 signatories already in just a few months... With your help this is going to be a very, very, successful petition. Pass these details on to your friends and colleagues. You can sign here:- http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/OlympicShooting/

It has just been announced that Pistol Shooting Training for the 2012 London Olympic games will be carried out on the Isle of Man..!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/london_2012/7277807.stm Surely this makes a farce for the reasons given to build a shooting complex at Woolwich, to be demolished after the games at an estimated cost of £26million. The NRA at Bisley desperately need finances and would make a better venue than the Isle of Man and especially Woolwich..? More reason to sign the No.10 Downing Street petition above?

The NRA/MoD have arrived at a solution for allowing the use of firearms with a muzzle energy between 4,500 and 7,000 Joules. At this stage, existing club RCO's will be required to attend an additional training course (RCO/HME) to ensure that users of ammunition above 4,500J will have been sighted in and authorised at 200 yards before use. As of today and until further information becomes available, it appears that the MoD (Archers Range) have been informed that the range is only useable up to 4,500J...? During 2008, It will be a MoD requirement that club officials will need to issue a Certificate of Competence, where necessary, to users of MoD ranges.

19/02/08 NATIONAL SHOOTING WEEK MAY 3rd -11th 2008 - prospective members waiting to join Sigma have been invited to a special Guest Day on 10th May.

Congratulations to Mick Gault who has just received an OBE for services to shooting.

20/11/07 In the 45 year history of the club Steve L. has shot the first ever '100' score; at 50 metres using the .30 cal rifle in poor weather conditions too. Well done...!

20/08/07 Thanks to the sterling efforts and valuable time of Mike W. this website is up and running again. Mike has recently started his own business and specialises in the consultancy, supply and commissioning of computer networking and business systems. Mike can be contacted at www.saratota.com Graeme has also spent several hours improving the website.

Another possible 'fix' for accessing the Members Only Page has been added to the foot of this page.

04/03/07 A 'Roll of Honour' has been added to the Competitions page. All currently 'running' competitions have been updated.

DISGRACEFUL: Following an article in the latest Target Sports magazine it appears that the estimated cost for the new shooting complex for the 2012 London Olympic Games is to cost £16 million. Despite the Olympic Charter, where Olympic facilities are 'passed on' for use by sporting club's etc. 'they' are demolishing the complex after the games at a further cost of £8 million. I am sure the NRA are not the only ones disgusted by this news...?

04/02/07 Due to an influx of people interested in joining us over recent weeks, we have had to put a temporary hold on any new prospective members, regretfully, there is a waiting list for the time being. If you are interested in joining us, please do not let this stop you from making contact with us at least.

24/11/06 The NRA is encouraging everyone to use 'Everyclick' as their Search Engine. Every time you use this Search Engine a small amount of money is donated to the NRA (NRA is a registered charity) To date there appears to be 32K users already. Free Money - NRA joins Everyclick

24/07/06 New website - Dunblane: The author of a recently published new book "Dunblane Unburied". considers an alleged conspiracy theory regarding the tragic events in Dunblane, there is also a new website - below. The author of the book/website, 'Sandra Uttley, lived in Dunblane at the time of the school massacre and was working as a paramedic. She was involved in relieving the first crew to attend the scene and has never forgotten the trauma they endured. It was Sandra's strong belief that Central Scotland Police should have been prosecuted for criminal maladministration. However, the parents chose not to take any legal action.' http://dunblaneunburied.co.uk/

Having read the book there is a website reference link to access the transcript of the Cullen Report at Transcript

05/10/05 This article appeared in the Daily Telegraph on 3 October 2005. (Source NRA.)

"Secret files on the Dunblane massacre reveal a catalogue of "incompetence" by police and the prosecution service, the father of one of the victims claimed yesterday. Dr Mick North, whose daughter Sophie died, said the authorities missed several opportunities to take action against Thomas Hamilton before he killed 16 children and their teacher. He was speaking after reviewing hundreds of documents that were to have been "closed" for 100 years, but which will be made available for the first time today. The files reveal that several complaints were made about Hamilton's behaviour towards children before the shootings at Dunblane Primary School in 1996. Dr North said: "The documents I viewed confirmed what I believed I knew about the role of the police and the involvement of the procurator fiscal service. There was incompetence. Hamilton's behaviour in the years before the massacre caused great concern and the documents prove a lack of joined-up thinking among police and prosecutors." Dr North viewed the 106 sets of documents over several weeks at the Crown Office in Edinburgh this summer. They include police and witness statements and medical reports."

I have every sympathy with Dr. North having lost his daughter in the Dunblane tragedy. His findings, if accurate, would seem to confirm what shooters have suspected.

If the police and the judiciary in Scotland are to blame for allowing Hamilton access to both guns and children, it begs the question why was it target shooting sportsmen and women who were made to pay the price for their folly?

The National Rifle Association will be writing to Government to be given access to the papers and to make the point that their rationale for banning pistols was flawed, in that the authorities themselves were potentially to blame for Dunblane and despite the ban, firearms related crime, involving pistols, has risen dramatically, because they seem unable to deal with the illegal import and use of such firearms by criminals.

Any review of the files is likely to take an extended period of time and will require legal opinion. The Association would be grateful for the assistance of any appropriately qualified members, presuming authority is given to examine the documents.

20/06/05 Very sad to announce that Maurice has passed away. Maurice joined the club in 1980 and brought a special 'presence' to the club. Over the years he has supplied the club with our targetry needs and enjoyed operating the control tower on our MoD fixtures.

'MEMBERS ONLY Page' Access Problems? First try this: 1. Add the Sigma website to 'My Trusted Sites' in Internet explorer . Do this by going to Control Panel, selecting Tools/Internet options in internet explorer. Select 'Trusted Sites', click sites and add the url http://homepage.ntlworld.com . also untick the 'require server verification' box . 2. An alternative fix is select the Members Only page, a 'pop up' 'information Bar' appears. 2a. Click on 'pop up' and it disappears. 2b. Click on 'Information Bar' a 'drop down' menu appears. 2c Click on first 'drop down' 'Tempxxx' - allow it. 2d 'Page Back' on browser (top left, left arrow) This should show the club password screen - enter password. It has also been suggested that you will need to ensure that JavaScript is enabled, this link will provide instructions.. http://www.nasa.gov/home/How_to_enable_Javascript.html Note it appears that Macaphee Antivirus causes the biggest problem..?

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