Fifteen members of Gresham’s Rifle Club were at Bisley this year to compete in the National Rifle Association’s 155^th Imperial Meeting, which took place immediately after the Schools Meeting. Every member of the team shot well in what were generally good conditions in terms of temperature, but at times, the wind conditions were challenging. The newer, less experienced members of the team were all on steep learning curves, whilst the more experienced shooters in the team were trying to compete for the very top scores.

There was national representation on day one for Georgina B, as she was selected to shoot for England in the Cadet National Match. Georgina was the top shot out of all competitors in the match (105 / 105), but the England team still had to settle for second place, just three points behind Wales.

During the Imperial Meeting, there are two Schools team matches that run concurrently with the Grand Aggregate. The Gresham’s Rifle Club team of Georgina B, Oliver R, Grace S, and Alexandre S were able to outshoot all the other schools to take first place and win the Garry Jones Trophy. Things didn’t go quite so well for the Anstey Trophy, as the same Gresham’s team had to settle for a 6^th-place finish in this competition.

Gresham’s were well represented in the 2^nd Stages of St. Georges and His Majesty the King’s Prize this year. Georgina, Oliver, and Grace made the 2^nd Stage of St. Georges, with Grace shooting well enough to progress through to the final. The entire team was there to watch her finish 80^th out of the 700 competitors that started in the competition. Margarethe G, Harry P, and Jonny W all shot in the 2^nd stage of the King’s Prize, and despite having a wonderful time, were unsuccessful at making the final. The other big individual competition during the week was the Grand Aggregate and, out of the 650+ competitors (from around the world) taking part, Georgina B managed to shoot consistently well throughout the week to finish 186^th.  The Grand Aggregate was won by Chloe Evans (OG). Out of the 200 Cadets competing in the Grand Aggregate, Georgina B was the top shot. In the process of becoming Top Cadet, she also won herself a bespoke shooting jacket worth over £1,500, thanks to sponsorship from ‘TenPointNine’.

Several of the team members also shot for the UK Cadets in both the Inter-Services Long and Short-Range matches. Georgina, Harry, and Oliver shot in the Long-Range match, with Alexandre and Jonny as reserves. Georgina then shot in the Short-Range match, with Grace as reserve.

It was a fantastic two weeks of competitive target rifle shooting, and I would very much like to thank every member of Gresham’s Rifle Club for making it such a great trip. You are an awesome group of young people.

Finally, we would like to wish Georgina B all the very best on her tour with the British Cadet Rifle Team (the Athelings) and Marcella B on her tour to the Channel Islands with the UK Cadet Rifle Team. Mrs Liberman will also be going on the UKCRT tour as the team’s Adjutant. Thanks must go to all members of staff who have assisted, in whatever way, with the running of the Rifle Club over the past year. May 2024-25 be just as successful, if not more.