Toddy sadly passed away on 13th December 2019.
An active shooter for many years, often competing in the past at Bisley meetings; from April 1985 onwards, he took on the role of Secretary to the County Association, and he became the heart and soul of small-bore shooting in Dorset. His contribution to the sport has been immense, and in his own inimitable way he has organised and run so much and so many of the activities we have enjoyed.
In addition to fulfilling the formal role of Secretary, completing affiliation forms with the NSRA and generally attending to the necessary administrative tasks, he has organised many of the County’s league and individual competitions – summer and winter – teams of 3 and teams of 5 – 50 and 100 yards in the summer – and has been instrumental in encouraging entries from teams outside of Dorset to swell the competitions. He also arranged three outdoor shoots each year at Piddlehinton, dealing with entries, often doing much of the scoring and the posting of results.
Each year he organised the Annual General Meeting and Prize-giving, gently and tactfully keeping Chairmen in their place but on the right tracks. He has kept us in touch with changes in rules and regulations pertaining to the sport, most recently of course having to deal with all the GDPR requirements.
In addition to his County responsibilities he also acted as Secretary to Witchampton Rifle Club, of which he was a long-standing member. There, and in many other places, he will be remembered with fondness for his sheer humanity, and also for the way in which he would happily give time to helping and encouraging everyone, particularly those new to the sport.
It should be remembered that behind every great man there is an even greater woman!! Paula has been a tremendous support to Toddy over the years, sorting out refreshments at Piddlehinton, organising until recently the “spread” we had at the AGM, and no doubt being prepared to put up with all the time he devoted to his beloved sport.
In the last couple of months we were able to arrange a long service award from the NSRA, and Toddy received this at the final dinner he attended with his friends of the “Saturday Night Club” – all those who were involved each time in setting up the range for the meetings at Piddlehinton.
Toddy will be missed greatly by the whole shooting fraternity, in Dorset and beyond.
Tony Coulson Alan Motson
Chairman Secretary
Dorset S-B.R.P.A. 