Cost

Annual membership runs from 1st November and pro-rata for new members joining during the year. Cost £120

Overview of Membership process: 

1.  Make an appointment to visit us on a Sunday - WorplesdonTSC@gmail.com

2.  If you wish to join, we will give you an application form 

3.  Once submitted, we inform the Police of your application in line with Home Office regulations.

4.  You will then be invited to join the club as a Probationary Member for a six months period.

5.  During this period you will be appointed an instructor and will undergo a regular and structured course of instruction, attending a minimum of 8 times.

6.  At the end of the probationary period, before the Committee grant full membership, they must be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that you are a competent and fit person to own, handle and fire a firearm even if you only intend to use an unregulated air gun.

7. If you already hold a FAC or are a member of another Home Office approved club, you can apply to join as a full member.

Joining WTSC

Worplesdon & District Target Shooting Club (Worplesdon) is a HOME OFFICE approved Club and as such full membership, if granted, may lead to the granting of a Firearms Certificate (FAC) to allow you to purchase your own rimfire rifle or FAC air rifle (an air rifle with greater than 12 ft lbs kinetic energy on discharge).

Only .22 LR rimfire, .22 air rifle and .177 air guns are allowed to be shot on the Worplesdon Range.

As a Home Office approved Club, we are subject to the requirements defined in the Firearms Acts before we can offer full membership to members of the Public.

PROBATIONARY MEMBER

Under the current law all new members of a registered firearm club must serve a minimum of 3 months probationary membership before being granted full membership. At Worplesdon, we have extended this period to six months. During this period, probationary members must receive a regular and structured course of instruction from a suitably qualified· club member. When applying to join the club, a probationary member will need to be sponsored by an existing full member of the club and will be asked to provide the names, addresses and telephone numbers of two persons who have known them for at least 3 years and are prepared to provide a character reference.

At the end of the probationary period the Committee, before they grant full membership, must be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that you are a competent and fit person to own, handle and fire a FAC firearm even if you only intend to use an unregulated air gun.

As a probationary member you will be supervised by a member of the Club's instructor team who will act as your mentor throughout your training period. This member will be available to guide you through the training programme and answer any questions you may have along the way.

Although this member will be your mentor, they may not always be available to supervise your training session. If no one is available to take your session you will not be able to undertake live firing. Consequently, before you arrive at the club you will need to check with your mentor that an instructor is available. This is particularly important as our Range Orders require that at least two full members are present during any live firing sessions.

Other members of the instructor team, a full member of the club or outside professionals may step in to take parts of your training.

Whilst on probation you will learn about the safe handling and use of firearms, range etiquette and the law pertaining to the use of firearms.

You must record the details of all your training sessions and each type of firearm you have used and get the instructor to sign your diary if you have achieved the required standards of competence. The Committee will review the diary when your application for full membership is considered.

Failure to achieve the required standards of competence, or any unsafe or poor behaviour during your probationary period may result in the period of your probationary period being extended or membership withdrawn.

FULL MEMBERSHIP

Full membership is by invitation only and is not automatic. As Worplesdon is a Home Office approved shooting club full membership is only offered to those persons who have successfully completed six-month structured training in the use of firearms and who are known to and accepted by the present membership as being safe, reliable individuals who are unlikely to pose a danger to the public at large or bring the Club's good name into disrepute. Throughout your probationary period existing Club members will assess your ability to integrate and uphold the good traditions of the Club and precision target shooting.

Before you may apply for full membership you must:

1.        Complete your six months probationary period

2.        Have attended a minimum of eight full training sessions

APPLICATION FOR FIREARMS CERTIFICATE (FAC)

Anyone granted full membership of a Home Office registered firearm club may apply and expect to obtain a FAC for any legal firearm. Under normal circumstances the police authorities will only grant the certificate with the support of a Home Office registered club. If asked by the authorities, the club will only support applications for a FAC for the types of firearms for which the applicant has received formal training and which is approved for use on our range. It is not automatic that the police will issue a FAC when you apply.

If you have not completed the required training programme during your probationary period, you may do so at any time thereafter.

HOLDERS OF AN EXISTING FAC OR OTHER CLUB MEMBERSHIPS

Worplesdon’s Byelaws provide that any person who can prove that they are already a full member of another Home Office approved club, and any person who holds a current Firearms Certificate, may apply to the Management Committee to become a full member of the Club without the need for a period of probationary membership.

CLASSES OF MEMBERSHIP

All applications or recommendations for any class of membership of the Club must be made to the Management Committee for their approval.

1.      Probationary member – as above

2.      Annual member - a person who has been elected to full membership

3.      Junior member - a person who has not attained the age of 21 years at the start of the Club’s current financial year

4.      Senior member - an annual member who has attained the age of 65 years at the start of the Club’s current financial year

5.      Honorary life member – elected in recognition of that person’s outstanding service to the Club or to the sport

6.      Associate member - persons who will be using the Club’s range(s) and facilities for only occasional shooting upon payment of the appropriate range fees.

7.      Social member - a person who has no access to Section 1 firearms or to rimfire ammunition on the Club’s premises

8.      Corporate Member  - a company or organisation who has no access to Section 1 firearms or to rimfire ammunition on the Club’s premises

Annual, junior, senior and honorary life members are full members of the Club and are entitled to vote at annual and extraordinary general meetings. Probationary, Associate, Corporate and  Social members are not entitled to vote.

Further details are available in the Byelaws and Constitution of the Worplesdon & District Target Shooting Club, available on request from the club Secretary.