I almost joined SACS

[ulverston moocher 60]

they have gone right down the shiter and carnt see why any body would join or re join next they will be promoting the bloody LACS.

[bill88 6]

Well SACS membership renewals do seem to be in limbo at the moment as far as many terrier and lurcher owning members are concerned following the recent departure of Foxgun Tom from its ranks and also the PSNI ad on the website.Tom is a good friend of mine and if he's questioning the management and policies of an organisation then i'm pretty certain there are valid reasons why he's doing so.

I along with Tom helped recruit SACS members from this website and if SACS does as all the other organisation have and turns it back on terrier and lurchermen i'll cancel my membership immediately and disassociate myself from the organisation.I still hope that mine and other members concerns will be addressed by SACS and its management.To all those people who joined SACS through the hunting life club,if you are unhappy with the current situation regarding terrier and lurcher owners then i apologise profusely and i honestly would not have promoted the organisation had i had any inclination that dog men and women would be treated any differently to SACS other members. and i'll take any flak aimed at me.

I'm hoping that my concerns as a dogman are unfounded but this does have that "de ja vous" feeling about it,i hope im wrong.Maybe i should sell my dogs and get myself a Shotgun and Tweed jacket

[Foxgun Tom 75]

Below is two threads from what used to be the SACS forum it outlines the reasons why I left

 

I did'nt know anything about that piece of shit on the "SACS" website!! I'm as gobsmacked, sickened and as angry as everyone else especially after the work I put in the "SACS" website was updated on the 15 december 2008 I'd already left as development officer and a member on the 28th of November 2008!! I also removed my 8 month old grandson as a member of the association in disgust Ian Clark as "SACS Director is wholy responsible for the content and whats added to the "SACS" website, I have what used to be the SACS forum and it is no longer associated with "SACS" I pay the forum costs personally and that forum does not support, endorse or recruit for "SACS" in fact I changed its name to the countrysports forum in protest

 

Tom

 

________________________________________________________________________________

_________

 

 

 

First of all I'd like to thank every one for the E-mails and messages of support!

 

This is a quote from Ian Clark recently "I've just had Tom on the phone. He has gone off on one again, resigned from SACS, even asked me to remove his wee grandson's name. He is completely stressed out, and I'm really worried that he's heading for some kind of breakdown."

 

Above is Ian's comments to someone else simply because I don't agree with his decisions!

 

I'm not heading for a breakdown or gone of on one? Ian also used this type of language when a well respected member from Northern Ireland resigned from the management commitee!! I resigned because of his stupidity and dictatorial style of management and I'm deeply disapointed in a man whom I considered a close friend

 

Reasons

 

The reasons I resigned are as follows:

 

1/ I and a junior member were verbally abused in public at a fair in Northern Ireland by a "SACS" Regional Chairman who nearly injured a female member of the public when dismantling the "SACS" stand with his inexperience!! Ians reaction when told as Director was to do nothing

 

2/ A number of times Ian had members at gamefairs who are not qualified as clay instructors on clay target stands teaching members of the public I was horrified, there also was no police disclosure checks on these individuals? One of them was the same regional director who caused upset in Northern Ireland. I think the public should be kept safe and anyone teaching kids should be vetted while carrying out duties with "SACS"!! Ians reaction when told as Director was to do nothing and he even commented that a clay shooting qualification was not a legal requrement? If my kids are beint taught how to use a gun I'd hope the person doing the teaching is competent to do so!!

 

3/ Recently Ian and another member thought it would be a good idea to send 250 invitations to members in Ayrshire to attend a "SACS" members night, this meant no other members in the Strathclyde region or anywhere else would be able to attend as invite, was by written invitation only? I was "SACS" Development Officer responsible for recruiting, promotion and drumming up support, "I WAS NOT INVITED??" I only found out about it from a member of my terrier club who stayed in the right postal area. I was furious!! that other members and I were deliberately excluded!!

Ians reaction when told as Director was to do nothing

 

4/ "SACS" Gamefair Edinburgh 2009, there is no such thing? "SACS" have no involvement here except allowing the use of its name? its an outside events company that are organising the event, Some "SACS" trade members have refused to attend this event, many individual members are concerned about the company involved A well respected "SACS" management committee member resigned over the issue Ian as the Director took it onboard himself to commit "SACS to this event he had no discussion with the management commitee re: the matter and would'nt take advice from close friends or members?

Ians reaction when told as Director was to do nothing

 

5/ I had been working on the "SACS" Sporting Dog Event" with other members since July 2008 I had secured some large major sponsors and was having discussions with Scotlands largest brewer, a major internet company were discussing supplying unique Scottish trophies for all the winners, This event was supposed to be part of the Scottish homecoming celebrations 2009, This dog event would have been the largest working dog event in the UK as part of the Gamefair at Edinburgh, the organisers of the "SACS" Gamefair at Edinburgh could not offer any financial commitment until March 2009?, to me and others involved this was unacceptable, as its alleged that sometimes promises of monies from these organisers was not always forthcoming. I was also not prepared to work promoting a Gamefair for someone else without financial support for months on end Ian and"SACS" would also not commit themselves financially in advance despite the huge volume of work put in by trade and ordinary members Because of my resignation, I've handed back to SACS the cheque book for this event and gave sponsors back their funds as it wont be going ahead in the format discussed with them

 

6/ Another quote from Ian "He was even talking about mentioning alleged financial irregularities with the previous Director - which are currently the subject of legal action and this would get Tom into HUGE trouble, but he won't listen to anything I say."

This is laughable!! its Ian who won't listen to anyone? If legal action is being taken against a former Director let the members know the details, what are the financial irregularities, is it it a case of fraud if so, have the police been informed, if not why not? Its not Ian's or "SACS finances it was yours and mine. I would advise all "SACS" members to ask questions of the management committee as it appears to be in the process of being swept under the carpet??

 

I am not a disgrunteld employee I was a volunteer who put the organisation in front of everything slept on the ground at shows/gamefairs, I missed one gamefair in 5 years and that was for the birth of my first grandchild, I attended while recovering from illness, missed my own 50th birthday celebrations at home with family to promote what I thought was the best fieldsports organisation ever, Ian Clark is now starting to take "SACS" down a road it should'nt be going "SACS" belongs to its members not its Director::

 

Ian has a number of time in the members magazine used the term "I'm not a man to cause trouble" I would suggest he changes it to "I'm a man not to trusted"

 

Tom

_________________________________________________________

In conclusion

Well!! its getting near the time to close this thread as promised! but before I do, I'd like to raise another couple of issues and answer some misconceptions. We'll get the misconceptions out the road first, never at anytime in my posistion as Development Officer of the Scottish Association for Countrysports was I an employee, I was a member and volunteer!! I attended Game Fairs, Lurcher and Terrier shows in my own time, sometimes at my own expence and was only recently in the last year or so! starting to get travelling expences, I also ended up getting expences for my mobile phone which was used predominately for SACS business.

 

Most of the time attending these events I slept in a sleeping bag on the floor of the SACS stand or relied on friends throughout the country for accomodation or the loan of a members caravan, but hey that was my choice!! (Iwanted to save members money) "SACS" never ever paid for food or accomodation when I attended an event on my own promoting the association.

 

When I joined SACS, the ethos behind the organisation was one of fairness, camradarie, equality for all fieldsports enthusiasts, we also had a policy of openess and a sense of justice and we never bullshitted our membership!!

 

Ian Clark as the Director in my opinion has removed all of the above? He has lied to members when he said "I will continue to work with Tom in private" he's has not been working with me at all in any shape or form??, He has not responded to members concerns re; this matter despite sometimes being on the forum sometimes 2/3 times a day

 

Not once to my knowledge? has Ian or "SACS" thanked any Lurcher or Terrier club officially in the members magazine for promoting SACS including the guys at the Flimby show, me and him attended, or the lads at the Fife & Kinross who promoted "SACS by allowing me to hold raffles at their shows on behalf of BADA-UK while I was Development Officer

 

Ian and SACS appeared to have no interest in the working dog community in my opinion! (Lurchers & Terriers} before I arrived on the scene? they never even, had a token presence at any of the hunting march's or demonstrations, but I was there at, Parliement square, London (3 times) Inverness, Brighton, Edinburgh (March on the Mound)

 

"SACS" to my knowledge took part in any of the tail docking demonstrations here in Scotland, but I was there!! see link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_47...bw=bb&mp=wm I'm the guy with the liver and white GSP.

 

Ian Clark has turned "SACS" into an organisation that I and many other members don't recognise!! its become secretive, unresponsive and deceitful? Will Ian tell ordinary members the reasons why I left?, will he also inform them why two respected members of the management committe in Northern Ireland resigned? including the Director there, Will he even tell the management committee?.

 

Ian for a long number years was a good and close friend and I realy don't know where that person went or why he changed?? he's had ample opportunity to resolve these and a number of other issues and declined because of his silence and could'nt give a toss attitude, Well in my opinion you guys deserve better than that

 

"SACS" is no longer about its members or its membership!! its all about its Director Ian Clark, these and many other issues won't go away and they will rumble on especially during the Game Fair/Show season until someone comes to their senses. I almost sure there will be a continuing decline in membership and renewals as has been stated allready by current members!!

 

This thread is now closed but will remain pinned for "SACS" members and non-members who remain interested

 

Tom

[Guest WILF]

This thread was no slur on you Tom...........purely the organisation.

I am sure most lads on here know that your in it with all the rest of us.

 

As for SACS, well that seems finished as an option for most of us..........may the new management find comfort (and advertising revenue) with there new friends who would like to see us all consigned to history.

 

Feck em lads

Edited December 24, 2008 by WILF

[higgins 75]

my membership will be up for renewal soon,looks like i won't be renewing with SACS until this mess has been sorted,can either Foxgun Tom or anyone else knowledgeable advise current members who to join next if this hasn't been resolved?Thanks,

Higgins.

Edited December 24, 2008 by higgins

[mattydski 560]

Just renewed with BASC today after 2 months consideration. Shame, i really didnt want to give them the money..

[Bosun11 537]

This thread was no slur on you Tom...........purely the organisation.

I am sure most lads on here know that your in it with all the rest of us.

 

As for SACS, well that seems finished as an option for most of us..........may the new management find comfort (and advertising revenue) with there new friends who would like to see us all consigned to history.

 

Feck em lads

 

About right Wilf. I've long since learned that 'most' organisations supposedly dedicated to the greater good of 'our' pusuits, turn to shite, we've seen it before and i'm sure (sadly) we'll see it again.

March your fecking legs off, it'll only strengthen the social status of some!

 

The two things that always get me are.....:

 

The false hope that is sold with each membership. Money that people think is funding 'the fight', when all it really does is fund those gala nights and tea partys that go with the 'ladder climbing' of the chair and secritary etc. Remember.......

 

Goalposts change as social standing rises!

 

Then there's the 'tidal sweep', that rushes over the hard working and dedicated people who usually joined early and gave their time and effort to promote, drive and sell that hope. It eventually pushes those people out, as that 'ladder climbing' goes forward.

Tom, from your posts your heart was always right and whatever people may say in the future about SACS, you shouldn't have to defend yourself what so ever, you were there for the greater good.

 

Oh, I did say 'most' organisations. There is one, that, i'm sure will always remain small but dedicated and only because its dedication rests almost soley on the shoulders of one very dedicated man, it's some burden, I hope his legs hold out!

 

Merry Christmas ALL!