Policies
Members' Charter

Action Against Staghunting  (AAS) Members’ Charter

Purpose of AAS

AAS is dedicated to exposing and ending deer/stag hunting.

Leadership

AAS is run by an Executive Committee consisting of the founders and other high-profile members of the group. All decisions are taken by the consensus. Pip Donovan is chair of the committee and can be reached on info@actionagainstaghunting.org

Subgroups

Groups are run by a nominated coordinator. The nominated coordinator is responsible for ensuring that all decisions are agreed by a majority of the group.

The coordinator must adhere to AAS values and policies.  Members of subgroups must abide by this charter. AAS has been formed by a collaboration of people from varying local and non-local groups. When representing AAS these members are expected to adhere to the AAS values and policies.

Core Values

AAS is an entirely peaceful organisation. We do not condone violence or abuse of any sort. Everything we do, or say when on AAS business must be done with courtesy and respect. 

Activities of AAS

Door-to-door leafleting
Outreach stalls in public places
Information talks to other organisations
Local and national petitions
Campaigns

Membership

Membership is open to anybody willing to further the objectives of AAS.
Membership is not open to anybody engaged in recreational animal cruelty.

An AAS Member is:

Everyone who belongs to the closed group, Activists for AAS.
Everyone who holds a banner or poster in a public place displaying the AAS Logo
Anyone who delivers or displays AAS leaflets
Anyone engaged in furthering the objectives of AAS

Members’ Behaviour

When acting on behalf of AAS, members must:

Always be polite
Never use obscenities in public
Never use body-shaming language
Never use hate speech against anybody at all
Never make threats of physical violence
Never bring AAS into disrepute by their behaviour or actions.
Never frighten hunters’ horses, or the hounds, or cause harm to any animal belonging to the hunt or threaten such harm.
Never initiate physical contact of any sort with members of the hunt
Never respond to abuse from members of the hunt

These rules apply on line and in person

Breach of these Rules

The AAS Executive Committee needs to be informed if you think you may have breached the rules.

A member might be asked to leave AAS immediately if the breach is serious. However, the member will have an opportunity to explain the circumstances. If the member can assure the Executive Committee that it will not happen again, the member may be allowed to remain a member.

 

 

AAS’s Policies

Members’ activity

AAS’s key aim is to help members become active and be active ourselves. Members must obey the Members’ Charter when on AAS business, either in person or online and remain professional and courteous at all times. Outside this, we do not impose restrictions on where, how and when member campaigns. We celebrate freedom of choice and expression.

 

Conflict between members

We value and support ALL our members and in the event of a conflict between members, we will not take sides. We empower, support and facilitate; we insist on high standards of behaviour within AAS. But we do not control our members. If members cannot resolve their own differences, we suggest that you “agree to disagree” and move on. 

 

Other groups and organisations

AAS is an independent organisation created through a combination of groups. It is a campaign bringing together groups/individuals who are monitoring and gathering footage of the hunt’s illegal activities. As a member of AAS these groups/individuals will work together for the sole purpose of our aim.

AAS is however is an independent group. We are free to make our own decisions about our activities and campaigns. Equally, members are not exclusive to AAS and we will not restrict/dictate to them how they can proceed with their own group’s campaigns or activities.

We are always open to discussion and are keen liaise and communicate with other groups and organisations who may want to support our campaign.

AAS will remain on good terms with all other organisations.

 

Removal of Members’ posts on Active AAS Facebook Group

We moderate posts on our AAS closed group page and will remove them if they breach our own group rules. We may also remove posts at our discretion; but that decision will be taken by AAS admin alone, and is final. Outside AAS, unless the post specially mentions AAS, we have no right – and no wish – to determine what anyone posts or what comments they make.

Veganism

The majority of active AAS members, and all of the AAS admin team are vegan. However, AAS is not a vegan group because we want everyone who is opposed to stag/deer hunting to feel welcome in our group, regardless of their other life choices. We also hope that any non-vegan members might consider becoming vegan once in our group. We will not force this issue as it often leads to discord. We prefer to encourage and support as this is more likely to lead a member to become vegan in their own time.

 

INCLUSIVITY

AAS welcomes all new members. We welcome long-standing anti-bloodsports activists and those new to it. Members must:

  • Oppose deer/stag hunting
  • Agree to abide by the Members’ Charter
  • Become (or continue to be) active in opposing deer/stag hunting

 

There are no other requirements.

We do not discriminate on the basis of:

  • age
  • disability
  • gender reassignment
  • marriage or civil partnership
  • race (including colour, nationality, and ethnic or national origin)
  • religion or belief
  • sex
  • sexual orientation
  • political opinions (other than opinions on bloodsports)
  • neurodiversity
  • educational background
  • occupation – unless the occupation involves harming animals. 

 

The greater the diversity in a group, the better the group.