About BASC
What does BASC stand for?
BASC stands for the British Association for Shooting and Conservation.
How did BASC begin?
The organisation was founded as the Wildfowlers’ Association of Great Britain and Ireland (WAGBI) in 1908 by Stanley Duncan FZS and Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey Bt.
Why did Stanley Duncan form the Association?
There were three main reasons why he set up WAGBI:
- He wanted to help professional wildfowlers.
- He was becoming alarmed at the increasing drainage and subsequent development of excellent wildfowl habitat.
- He realised that as time went by it would be necessary to defend the sport of wildfowling against the growing enthusiasm of extremists.
When and why did WAGBI become BASC?
In 1981, WAGBI changed its name to the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC). This change was agreed at the Annual General Meeting of that year in recognition of the fact that shooting sports required a single representative body; WAGBI was the most suitably placed organisation to take on that role.
BASC was incorporated as an Industrial and Provident Society and formally became The British Association for Shooting and Conservation Limited in January 1997.
How is the organisation structured?
There is a president, chairman, an elected board called Council, a chief executive, and more than 100 staff members. BASC Council members are democratically elected from, and by, BASC members.
How many members does BASC have?
BASC has a membership of over 150,000 according to the latest membership statistics in December 2020.
How many staff members work for BASC?
There are currently 143 paid members of staff working for BASC across the country. The head office is based at Marford Mill and there are eight regional offices across the UK.
BASC Direct Limited
BASC Direct Limited (Registered in Wales No. 09113296) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the association.
BASC Council established this company to ensure that certain financial transactions relating to non-members can be easily identified, recorded and managed.
Like all companies, BASC Direct Limited operates under the Companies Acts. Directors are appointed by BASC Council and may vary from time to time.
Directions to BASC
Finding Marford Mill from the North
Leave the M6 southbound at junction 20 and join the M56 (Runcorn, Chester, North Wales).
Leave the M56 at junction 15 and join the M53 (Chester, Wrexham). M53 becomes A55.
Come off the A55 at Junction 38 for Chester/Wrexham A483.
Take the first exit at the roundabout to join the A483 towards Wrexham. Go straight through the traffic lights and continue to junction 7, signposted Rossett/B5102 and take the exit.
Turn left at the junction to join the B5102 signposted Rossett.
At the next roundabout take the first exit signposted Rossett and after approximately 200 yards, Marford Mill will be located on your right – directly opposite the black and white water mill.
Finding Marford Mill from the South
Take the M54 for North Wales from junction 10a of the M6. Follow the M54, which becomes the A5 Shrewsbury bypass.
Continue straight on, following signs for A5 North Wales/Llangollen.
At Oswestry (Shropshire) join the A483 towards Wrexham, Chester and North Wales at the Mile End Roundabout (right turn).
Continue on the A483 past Wrexham. Continue to junction 7, signposted Rossett/B5102 and take the exit.
At the junction take the third exit, passing over the A483 and continue on the B5102 signposted Rossett.
At the next roundabout take the first exit signposted Rossett and after approximately 200 yards, Marford Mill will be located on your right – directly opposite the black and white water mill.
BASC Council, Vision, Mission and Strategic Outcomes
As the largest shooting organisation in Great Britain & NI, BASC will:
Vision
Fight for sustainable shooting and conservation of the countryside.
Mission
To promote and protect sporting shooting and advocate its conservation role throughout the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
- To represent members’ interests by providing an effective and unified voice for sustainable shooting sports.
- To benefit the community by providing education, promoting scientific research and advocating best practice in firearms licensing, habitat conservation, and wildlife and game management.
- To promote the benefits of game as food.
In order to achieve these, BASC will:
Achieve / Enhance / Exploit
BASC must create and maintain ‘all party’ political consensus in support of sustainable shooting sports and the conservation benefits derived from the shooting sector. Critical to success is public perception and endorsement across key opinion formers.
Protect / Sustain / Utilise
BASC must protect and enhance its credibility, financial strength and power base of members, staff and Council to build on its reputation as the UK’s leading shooting and conservation organisation.
Strategic Outcomes
The following strategic outcomes combine to build success:
- Cross-Party political support: Consolidate and expand political support.
- Increase membership: Grow the number and diversity of members. Engage members in the fight for conservation & shooting.
- Conservation: Shooting recognised as a leading driver of practical conservation.
- Sector–wide approach: Ensure a pan-organisational approach supporting sustainable shooting & conservation.
- BASC Brand: BASC respected as the authoritative voice for shooting sports.
- Standards: Driving standards to guarantee sustainable shooting.
