National Council of Metal Detectorists Expels Errant Members [UPDATED]

The National Council for Metal Detectorists (NCMD) is currently the governing body of the UK's metal detectorists. Dedicated to upholding the highest possible standards of best practice among its members, it offers responsible metal-detectorists opportunities for learning more about their hobby, the objects they discover, and the archaeological significance of their discoveries. It offers training, information and exists to form a community of people with similar interests and ideals. A primary aim is also to uphold the good name and image of the hobby and engage with criticisms of the activities of its members.

It is on that basis that in an online Extraordinary Meeting last night, the NCMD took action against four of its members and after examining the facts of two separated case, voted unanimously to expel the members concerned (which automatically cancels the all-important third-party insurance NCMD membership entails).

The first case concerns three individials Shane Harris, Ricky Drury and Kimberly Bottle from Billericky and Canvey Island who after lengthy enquiries, possible only now, were found to have met on two occasions and gone metal detecting on meadows of a  farmer's property near Danbury in March 2020 in defiance of government guidelines and the NCMD's own policy during lockdown.

The second case concerns member Jimmy Box who was reported by a responsible NCMD member who'd visited his home and found that Box had a large showcase in the living room full of archaeological artefacts, of which it turned out that less than a few percent had been responsibly reported to the PAS according to NCMD policies. 

The expulsion and lifetime ban comes into effect from 1st April 2021. The expelled members may attempt to join the FID, if they will have them.  

Update 2nd April 2021

This was of course an April Fool parody post. The NCMD would never do such a thing because actually promoting real "responsible artefact hunting" is not at all what they've been up to all these years. Time they were retired from the scene.