Support Our Sport: uniting the shooting community

A fast-growing grassroots movement

A Facebook group called Support Our Sport has mobilised thousands of shooters in what could be the swiftest grassroots response to firearms policy in recent memory.

Its founder, Claire Bagehot, a competitive clay shooter, had never led a campaign before. But when she went looking for information about the impending public consultation on shotgun and firearms licensing, she was disappointed by the lack of guidance.

So on 18 November, the performance coach from Dyfed-Powys in Wales took matters into her own hands and created Support Our Sport. Within a week, almost 2,000 people had joined. “Like me, they wanted to understand what was going on and what they could do,” said Ms Bagehot.

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Concerns over proposed firearms licensing merger

At the heart of the issue is the Government’s proposed merger of Section 1 firearms and Section 2 shotgun certificate processes, a change shooting organisations warn could eventually dismantle legal gun ownership in Britain. At the time of writing, a public consultation was expected imminently, although no date had been confirmed.

Ms Bagehot faces a challenge: getting fellow shooters to engage. “The vast majority of respondents to the last consultation weren’t shooters – and yet they had the majority say in our daily lives, our businesses, our livelihoods, our hobbies,” Ms Bagehot said. “That’s insane.”

She estimates that whilst half of shooters are aware of the proposed licensing changes, only a third know about the forthcoming consultation. Another group believes nothing will change – a dangerous complacency Ms Bagehot is working to dispel. “When that mentality is in the machine, something will go through. It’s a given,” she said.

Ms Bagehot’s background as a performance coach has proved invaluable. She understands motivation, communication and how to mobilise people towards a common goal. She created the Facebook group with a clear mission statement: “information, inspiration and implementation”. The Facebook group has become a repository of tactics, email templates and success stories.

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A strategy built on communication and constructive dialogue

What sets Ms Bagehot apart is her insistence on constructive dialogue rather than confrontation. She has banned “pitchforking” – angry, unproductive ranting – from the group. “It doesn’t serve anything,” she said. “It will play into the cause of those who want to shut everything down.” 

Instead, she advocates sustained engagement with MPs. When shooters receive standard responses, she urges them to go back with follow-up questions. “People email their MP and get a response back and think ‘great, that’s my bit done’,” she said. “But they should email back, ask more questions and explain their lived experience.” 

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Reaching shooters through every channel

Her strategy involves reaching shooters through every available channel: shooting grounds, gun shops, instructors, cartridge suppliers, clothing companies and magazines. She is particularly conscious of older shooters who may not use social media.

As the consultation looms with no confirmed date, the challenge is maintaining momentum. Ms Bagehot’s call to action is straightforward: don’t assume people know what’s happening, don’t assume they know what to do, and don’t give up after one attempt.

“Assumptions are going to leave a lot of people behind,” she said. “Just talk to people and ask questions that will open up dialogue. People don’t get inspired by angry people. They get inspired by solutions.”

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Support Our Sport

Click here to join the Support Our Sport Facebook group.