A message from CEO Iain Parker and Chairman John Martin

Dear CPSA members,

We are writing to you firstly in the hope that you and your families are all safe and well in these unprecedented and difficult times. In recent days we've been talking with ground owners, clubs, and shooters and know that Coronavirus has affected friends and family in our shooting community. Our thoughts and wishes are with you all at this difficult time.

We would like to update you on recent developments and decisions we are taking here at the CPSA.

Over the past ten days all of our lives have changed as we face the Coronavirus crisis with restrictions on business, movement, and socialisation. This has meant we have had to take some difficult decisions such as suspending registered shoots, cancelling England Team selection shoots and our CPSA AGM, and then one by one cancelling or postponing our Championships planned for this spring and summer. 
This is obviously a huge disappointment in what was going to be one of our busiest years with two World Championships at two of our Premier shooting grounds: Bywell and E.J. Churchill. We can confirm that we have worked with our fellow associations and agreed we will host both Championships in 2021 at the same grounds. 

Please see cpsa.co.uk/news/coronavirus for full details on each cancellation and postponement.

From an operational and commercial perspective, we can also inform you that we have made the decision to “furlough” six of the CPSA HQ staff under the government’s scheme. The remaining staff will continue to keep the association going day to day, and plan and prepare for when we can start shooting again. We have also cancelled or postponed many areas of our marketing and advertising to save valuable budget and resource. 

During these unprecedented times we ask members to continue to support the association in terms of membership. We are happy to report we are still getting members renewing and joining in the last week knowing they can’t shoot right now but wanting to support the association and sport for when we can all go out and shoot again. The team continue to work on the various aspects of membership that carry on. You will still receive your Pull! Magazine, insurance continues in place – including shotgun certificate renewal refusal or revocation insurance for Full members – and web and social media work continues as a key source of information in the current circumstances.  

Even though the team, like most of the rest of the UK, is having to work from home we are here for the membership and are working to ensure that there are plenty of opportunities to participate in our sport at all levels once shooting resumes.   

While shooting may not be possible, the most important focus now for the association is looking to the future when we can work with grounds, clubs, sponsors, and fellow associations from around the world to get back to shooting and happier days.   

We'd like us all to take a moment and think of those members, family, and friends who have contracted and are fighting the Coronavirus. We also thank all of our members who are working in any capacity to help manage this crisis. This extends to all, from medical personnel and police officers to workers in the utilities, delivery drivers, and food services and agricultural workers.

We wish for you, your family, and your loved ones to keep safe and well, and look forward to seeing you at a shooting ground before too long.

Yours sincerely,
 
Iain Parker         John Martin
CPSA CEO        CPSA Chairman