What happened in 2008 and 2007

Sports Minister launches National Shooting Week

Minister for Sport, Gerry Sutcliffe MP was guest of honour at a shooting demonstration hosted by the British Shooting Sports Council (BSSC) at the National Shooting Centre, Bisley, Surrey to launch National Shooting Week 2008.

National Shooting Week, which will run from Saturday 3 – Sunday 11 May, aims to make people of all ages across the UK aware of the importance of target shooting as a sport and to provide opportunities to try it out for themselves. Shooting bills itself as one of the most inclusive Olympic and Paralympic sports, where gender, age and disability are no barriers to success. According to Gerry Sutcliffe MP, Minister for Sport, “National Shooting Week is an opportunity for the sport to show itself to the wider community in the UK about how good it is for everybody to take part. With the UK teams doing so well winning medals in so many competitions right across the world shooting is high on our list of sports we want to support. So National Shooting Week gives an opportunity for all the misconceptions about shooting to be put to one side but it also gives people an opportunity to understand that this is a sport that can be for everybody."

Over the course of National Shooting Week some 200 open days will take place at shooting clubs and grounds in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, giving newcomers to the sport the chance to try shooting for the first time in a safe and friendly environment. Media coverage of the growth in gun crime and illegal guns has sometimes overshadowed the fact that shooting is an Olympic sport at which the UK excels, at the 2006 Commonwealth Games shooting accounted for 23 of the UK’s 116 medals and a crack team will travel to Beijing this summer. With London 2012 ahead, the government backed initiative aims to discover and recruit new talent, as organiser Rob Gray explains: “We’re hoping that one or two future Olympic stars will take their first ever shots during National Shooting Week”.

Beginners who fancy taking their first shot can find out where their nearest shooting event is by entering their post code at www.nationalshootingweek.co.uk.

National Shooting Week in 2008

All three main political parties have backed the launch of National Shooting Week in 2008. This year’s event will take place from Saturday 3rd May to Sunday 11th May, when thousands of people across the UK will try one of the most exciting sports during Olympic year. Shooting schools and clubs are putting on a host of open days across the country so the public can try shooting for the first time.

Gerry Sutcliffe MP, Minister of Sport said: “UK teams are terrific at winning international medals for shooting so I welcome National Shooting Week as a responsible initiative to promote the sport ahead of Beijing 2008 and London 2012.”

Government spokesman for shooting and angling Martin Salter MP said: “I am delighted to support National Shooting Week in 2008. Labour’s Charter For Shooting encourages exactly this sort of participation event to demystify firearms and teach responsible and safe use.”

Hugh Robertson MP, Conservative Shadow Minister for Sport and for the Olympics, said: “I welcome the return of National Shooting Week and wish the organisers every success in raising the profile of a fine sporting discipline. Shooting is one of the most inclusive Olympic and Paralympic sports, where gender, age and disability are no barriers to success which is one of the reasons why we are pushing the government to lift the restrictions on Olympic target pistol shooters.”

The Liberal Democrats have given their support for the first time. Don Foster MP , Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport said: “National Shooting Week is a great way to promote one of our most successful sports in a clear demonstration of safe use of legal firearms as opposed to criminal abuse of illegal firearms.”

National Shooting Week is organised and funded by the Countryside Alliance on behalf of the British Shooting Sports Council. Shooting grounds and clubs planning to hold an open day for the public should register by going to www.nationalshootingweek.co.uk. Promotional material will be sent to each event organiser and the Alliance has committed £10,000 to help organisers advertise their events.

National Shooting Week in 2007

The first National Shooting Week was held in the UK during May 2007. More than 200 public open days were held across the country enabling thousands of people to try shooting for the very first time. National Shooting Week was conceived, funded and organised by the Countryside Alliance on behalf of the British Shooting Sports Council. Our monitoring of national and regional media suggests that an estimated 15 million people learned that shooting was accessible, took place nearby and that they could have a go, taking the family for a great day out in a safe environment. Shooting schools and clubs signed up to play their part as event organisers, helping to demystify guns in the process. It was promoting what the law-abiding shooting community does best – on a nationwide scale. The event received wide backing from Government ministers, the Conservatives, gun crime groups and senior police officials. Here are a selection of photographs from an event held at the National Shooting Centre to kick off the week.

Dr Derrick Campbell, chairman of the National Independent Advisory Group, handles a gun for the first time. The NIAG provides the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and the Criminal Use of Firearms Strategy Group, with independent advice in tackling gun crime within the UK.

Hugh Robertson MP, Shadow Minister for Sport and for the Olympics, Conservatives.

Government spokesman for shooting, Martin Salter MP, and Countryside Alliance chairman Kate Hoey MP.

Top air rifle shot, Nathan Milgate, who shoots from a wheelchair.

Rising star and medal winner Rory Warlow.

Countryside Alliance chairman Kate Hoey MP with (l-r) air rifle champion Nathan Sutherland, top pistol shot Samantha Buckley, pentathlete Montana Jones and the UK's record Commonwealth Games medal holder Mick Gault. Front, top air rifle shot Nathan Milgate.

Women's No 1 and Beijing 2008 contender, Elena Little, performed a demonstration of Olympic skeet.