Recommendation 91

Shooting organisations already have informal ways of supporting their members who are experiencing poor mental health, such as providing open channels for members to discuss mental health with leaders of organisations, who then raise concerns with police where necessary. Nick Hunt, Head of the Firearms Policy Unit at the Home Office, told us that shooting clubs “have liaison officers who liaise with the local force… It might be that their friends and colleagues in the shooting club bring it [a mental health concern] to the attention of the relevant police force so that action could be taken by that police force”.220 These informal ways to support members with their mental health involve creating an atmosphere in which members feel comfortable to approach others in their shooting organisation, to discuss their own and others’ mental health. For example, Fraser Lamb told us that “Members may phone us with concerns”221 and “[i]f we were made aware of any concerns in respect of someone’s suitability for firearms, there is a close enough relationship between the shooting organisations and Police Scotland to be able to communicate”.222 He confirmed that he, himself, had raised such concerns with the police in the past.223 Dr Colin Shedden, Director Scotland for the British Association for Shooting and Conservation, confirmed that for him, too, “there have been occasions when I have received information that has caused some concern and I have had discussions with Police Scotland or the previous constabularies that were dealing with it”.224 As current informal arrangements do help members of shooting organisations to address mental health concerns, formal ‘buddy’ initiatives may make this process even more successful.