How Do I Join Solent Target Shooting?
If you already know a full member of STS then you are one step ahead of the game. As we are a Home Office Approved Club, it is a requirement that you must be known to an existing full member of the club, who must be prepared to sponsor your application for membership.
Don’t worry if you do not yet know anyone at STS, as you can come along to one of our events at Bisley (as a non-shooting guest) in order to see what we do and to meet and talk to some of us. Alternatively, we may be able to arrange to meet you locally to say hello and to tell you all about the club.
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This will help you to decide whether our club is the right club for you to join and (if you have no previous experience) whether target shooting is right for you. It is also a chance for us to get to know you and understand your reasons for wanting to join the club.
When you are ready to apply for membership, please work your way through the list of potential routes to membership below. In most cases, the first route in the list that applies to you will be the best route to apply through.
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Click here if you would like to see and understand the membership application process from start to finish.
Existing FAC Holders
Those holding a current Firearms Certificate
Once your correctly completed, online application form has been submitted (including upload of a passport-style photo of yourself in JPEG format, and a full copy of your FAC in either JPEG or PDF format) and your joining fee has been received, we will confirm with the full member you have named as your sponsor that they are happy to act as such. Assuming this is the case, we will then proceed with Police vetting (where required), and if a wholly satisfactory response is received we will then take up your two personal references (so please ensure in advance that the referees you name are willing to act as such!). Provided your references are satisfactory, the Management Committee of the club will discuss your application at the next available Committee meeting and, if approved, we will confirm your Full Membership to the Police and will request the relevant annual membership fee from you. You will then be required to attend two supervised club shoots deemed satisfactory to the duty RCO/RO and to pass the club's Shooter Certification Card assessment, after which you will be confirmed as a Full Member of the club.
Armed Forces / Police Firearms Unit
Those who are currently serving members of the Armed Forces or a Police Firearms Unit
Once your correctly completed, online application form has been submitted (including upload of a passport-style photo of yourself in JPEG format, and where applicable a full copy of your FAC in either JPEG or PDF format) and your joining fee has been received, we will confirm with the full member you have named as your sponsor that they are happy to act as such. Assuming this is the case, we will then proceed with Police vetting and, if a wholly satisfactory response is received, we will seek confirmation from your Senior Officer / Officer Commanding of your firearms training status, as well as confirmation that you are deemed suitable to use such firearms unsupervised. Once that has been confirmed, we will then take up your two personal references (so please ensure in advance that the referees you name, and indeed your Senior Officer, are willing to act as such!). Provided your references are satisfactory, the Management Committee of the club will discuss your application at the next available Committee meeting and, if approved, we will confirm your Full Membership to the Police and will request the relevant annual membership fee from you. You will then be required to attend two supervised club shoots deemed satisfactory to the duty RCO/RO and to pass the club's Shooter Certification Card assessment, after which you will be confirmed as a Full Member of the club.
Home Office Approved Club
Those who are currently members of another fullbore Home Office Approved Club
Once your correctly completed, online application form has been submitted (including upload of a passport-style photo of yourself in JPEG format, and where applicable a full copy of your FAC in either JPEG or PDF format) and your joining fee has been received, we will confirm with the full member you have named as your sponsor that they are happy to act as such. Assuming this is the case, we will then proceed with Police vetting and, if a wholly satisfactory response is received, we will take up your two personal references as well as your HOA Club reference (so please ensure in advance that the referees you name, including the Secretary of your existing HO Approved Club, are willing to act as such!). Provided your references are satisfactory, the Management Committee of the club will discuss your application at the next available Committee meeting and, if approved, we will confirm your Full Membership to the Police and will request the relevant annual membership fee from you. You will then be required to attend two supervised club shoots deemed satisfactory to the duty RCO/RO and to pass the club's Shooter Certification Card assessment, after which you will be confirmed as a Full Member of the club.
Probationary Membership
Those who either have no previous shooting experience, or who do not meet the criteria for any of the other routes to membership above
Once your correctly completed, online application form has been submitted (including upload of a passport-style photo of yourself in JPEG format) and your joining fee and course fee(s) have been received, we will confirm with the full member you have named as your sponsor that they are happy to act as such. Assuming this is the case, we will then proceed with Police vetting and, if a wholly satisfactory response is received, we will then take up your two personal references (so please ensure in advance that the referees you name are willing to act as such!). Provided your references are satisfactory, the Management Committee of the club will discuss your application at the next available Committee meeting and, if approved, we will confirm your Probationary Membership of the club.
Your probationary period will be for not less than three months, and we would expect you to have met all of the criteria for Full Membership within not more than twelve months (Probationary Membership will be deemed to have lapsed after twelve months, or if you do not attend a club shoot for a period of more than three months). During your probationary period you will be required to satisfactorily attend the club's Fullbore Rifle Course; attend six supervised club shoots deemed satisfactory to the duty RCO/RO; and to pass the club's Shooter Certification Card assessment.
Once your probationary period is complete and you have met all the criteria for Full Membership, the Committee will discuss your application again at the next available Committee Meeting. If your Full Membership is approved, we will confirm your Full Membership to the Police and will request the relevant annual membership fee from you, after receipt of which you will be confirmed as a Full Member of the club.