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British Association for
Shooting and Conservation
2012 Council Elections
Wildfowling Candidates
The British Association for
Shooting & Conservation was originally known as WAGBI - the Wildfowlers
Association of Great Britain and Ireland. Founded in 1908, WAGBI was for most of
its life a dedicated wildfowling organisation and played a highly important part
in the promotion and protection of wildfowling as a sport in Britain. In 1981 it
changed its name to BASC to reflect the fact that it had become Britain's
pre-eminent organisation for all branches of sporting shooting.
However, it is the sport of
wildfowling has borne the brunt of government restrictions on
shooting in recent years.
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Most of the "lost" quarry species have been of
interest only to fowlers.
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Restrictions on semi-automatic shotguns affected
wildfowlers more than other shooters.
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Restrictions on the use of lead shot affected
wildfowlers more than other shooters.
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Future threats to sporting shooting are
likely to hit wildfowling hardest.
Ensuring that BASC remains firmly focussed
on wildfowling is of crucial importance, not only to wildfowlers but also to
every other sporting shooter in Britain. Wildfowling is the "Front Line" against
threats of adverse changes to both wildlife and firearms legislation and
regulation - at local, national, European and flyway levels.
For this reason it is essential
that a reasonable representation for wildfowling is achieved on the Council of
BASC. In the 2012 elections there will be three vacancies to be filled and two
wildfowling candidates are standing - John Graham and Alan Jarrett.
Ballot forms will be sent to all
BASC members with the issue of "Shooting & Conservation" in early
March.
Each member will be entitled to cast up to 3 votes. However, tactically,
the sensible way of ensuring that the two wildfowling candidates are elected is
to cast only two votes - one for Alan and one for John.
Votes for any other candidates are, in effect, votes against those experienced
and dedicated individuals.
You can also vote online at the BASC
Website. Go to www.basc.org.uk and sign-in
to the Members Area with your membership number and password. Then click on the
"Elections" tab to be taken to the online "polling booth". This will open at the
same time as postal ballot papers are sent to members but ofers a far more
convenient method of casting your votes.
Please vote for John Graham and Alan
Jarrett:
JOHN GRAHAM
Aged 64 from Little Neston, Cheshire
Proposed by David de Gernier; seconded by
Nicholas Horten.
Retired accountant and export co-ordinator
BASC member for 50 years
John says:
I was a member of BASC Council for ten years from 1996 to 2006. BASC
chairman from 2004 to 2006. Elected as BASC vice-president in
2008.
Chairman of Executive and Finance Committee from 2004 to 2006.
Founder and first chairman of Wales Committee in 1999. Former
chairman of Conservation and Land Management Committee, member of
several other committees including Wildfowling Liaison Committee
since 1992. Chairman of Disciplinary Appeals Committee from 1998 to
2001 and member of current Disciplinary Appeals Committee since
2007.
Vice-President, treasurer and membership officer
of Dee Wildfowlers and Wetlands Management Club and former chairman.
Founder and chairman of North Wales Joint Council of Wildfowling
Clubs.
I've been involved in actively supporting BASC since the early 1960s
including ten very happy and productive years as a member of
Council. This involvement has given me a
wealth of knowledge and experience that will enable me to "hit the
ground running".
On becoming chairman in 2004 I conducted a review of Council, its
operations and procedures. Various changes followed including
increasing the number of meetings from four to nine a year, meaning
that Council started to operate in "real" time. Some of the changes
weren't popular but they improved the efficiency
of Council and BASC generally and they're still in force today.
There were more changes that I wanted to
introduce but in 2006 my ten years on Council were up. I would like
to re-join Council to continue assisting the Association
to develop.
BASC is a strong organisation but there is always room for
improvement. Shooting will face increasing challenges, both
political and cultural, and we must look to our resources to ensure
those challenges can be met. Our horizon should not be limited to
the next decade but we should be thinking of where we want to be in
the future. We have the base from which to expand, protect and
dominate shooting for the rest of this century. With the right
leadership we can achieve that. |
ALAN
JARRETT
Aged 61 from Chatham, KentProposed
by Lee Freeston; seconded by Michael
Sherman.
Business consultant and elected politician
BASC member for 43 years
Alan says:
I work as a business consultant and elected politician - deputy
leader Medway Council, Kent. I have a
great deal experience in all aspects of
wildfowling club administration
being chairman of the KWCA since 1983. During that time
have overseen and driven the KWCA's land purchase programme
assembling freehold ownership of land to
date exceeding £6,000,000.
My experience as a politician responsible
for over £650,000,000 of revenue budget at Medway
Council gives me financial as well as political acumen which
I believe would be an asset and
enhancement to BASC Council.
Chairman KWCA since 1983; director KWA Ltd
since 1984; director Faversham Oyster
Fishery Company since 1984; chairman of the board since
1990; director Wild Spaces Fund Ltd since 2011.
Member of BASC Council for 15 years from 1989 - 2004. BASC chairman
from 2002 to 2004. BASC vice-chairman 1988 - 2002 Elected as
BASC vice-president
in 2005. Trustee - Wildlife Habitat Trust since 2006.
Chairman BASC Wildfowling Liaison Committee 1980-2002.
Founder member BASC Wildfowling Liaison
Committee. Member BASC Executive and
Finance Committee 1988- 2004. Membership
of various Medway Council Committees etc since 1997
including cabinet member for finance since 2000; founder
chairman Strategic Procurement Board since
1997; founder chairman Property Board.
I believe that my wide experience in the running of BASC - for 15
years - and the
KWCA - for 28 years - serves me well in being able to make another
contribution to BASC. I possess a range of financial,
political and administrative skills that
could enhance the working of BASC Council.
BASC Council is made up of people with a wide and extensive wealth
of experience and skills, and I believe
that I can complement those skills and
help to take BASC forward in a range of areas.
I have been a committed BASC supporter since I was 18 years
old. I care passionately about shooting
sports in general and wildfowling in particular,
and believe that our sport can only survive when it receives
the strongest possible support and
advocacy.
Many challenges face us in the future. I
believe I have the time, energy, enthusiasm and skills necessary to
ensure that our sport is protected and
enhanced. Wildfowling is invariably at the
forefront of the pressures facing us, and my wide ranging experience
in business management, politics and
wildfowling administration enables me to
be ideally placed to fight our corner with vigour.
BASC is the leading country sports organisation, and I am
proud to have played a part in its recent
development.
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Vote for John Graham and Alan Jarrett
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