Association for Metal Detecting Sport (AMDS)

     Energetic site exploration

Message for metal detectorists from the Association for Metal Detecting Sport (AMDS) " The experienced voice for metal detecting", "JOIN NOW to become part of our family".

You now can make the right choice and join us.

AMDS MISSION STATEMENT
The Association for Metal Detecting Sport was established towards the end of 2021 when several long serving metal detectorists were deprived of insurance and a voice for their respective regions. In order to continue pursuing their hobby and to protect themselves and their regional members, they established an insurance cover scheme supported and financed by a concerned benefactor and a team of willing volunteers. This insurance scheme was designed to offer competitive insurance to all metal detectorists at reasonable rates i.e. £5:00 per year. The aim was to fill the vacuum that exists between ordinary detectorists and the decision makers that have influence over the hobby.

Hmm, and who might this anonymous artefact-hunting-supporting "concerned benefactor" be? Where is this "vacuum" asnd how will the Association for Metal Detecting Sport fill it? This seems nothing more than an overblown insurance schere, but - interestingly enough absolutely no terms and conditions to the insurance policy itself are given on the website. Under what circumstances will compensation not be paid, and who decides? This is actually important, because if an artefact hunter gains access to land on the grounds that they are covered by public liability insurance and can pay compensation - and then it turns out that through not reading the small print, the cover does not actually apply to a particular circumstance and the insurance company fails to pay up, the artefact hunter him or herself is then personally liable for the damage done. The insurance policy should form part of the paperwork on the basis of which the permit is awarded. 

Is collection-driven exploitation (aka "looting") of the archaeological record in fact a "sport"? Why? Can it be made into an Olympic event? We are further told:

AMDS will always endeavour to have the best interests of its members at the heart of all its deliberations. By joining AMDS you will be helping to put personal involvement back in the hobby. It is our policy to influence those at the very heart of the establishment i.e. the NFU, CLA, PAS and Government. To this end AMDS have people who have experience spanning over 40 years, who were heavily involved in the introduction of the Treasure Act 1996, Green Waste - Waste not wanted, Nighthawking, Heritage Initiative etc., and who continue to do so actively.

The AMDS has no affiliations to any other organisations, including the IoD, and the AoD.

Here is the information about who we are: Jed Walker [...] John Wells [...] David Rees [...] Rachel Edwards [...] Teresa Barnett [...] Cat Thomas [...] William Fitzpatrick [...] The others in the team are all connected with legal and other professions and not metal detecting or archaeology, and they wish to remain anonymous and that is respected.

They may endeavour to have the best interests of the hobby at the heart of all its deliberations, but what about resource conservation? The group of "those at the very heart of the establishment" (sic) they will be lobbying includes the PAS but no other heritage organization. 

Furthermore, this group defines "responsible metal detecting" (just) as "taking part in any metal detecting on land with the permission of the landowner", including "metal detecting in commercial detecting events'.

What does "helping to put personal involvement back in the hobby" mean? Also stressing the organizers' qualifications including "were heavily involved in [...] nighthawking" seems particularly unfortunate phrasing. And of course to the dullards: "has no affiliations to [...] the IoD, and the AoD" is a telling reference to who,precisely this group has been set up for. No wonder "the others in the team [...] wish to remain anonymous".

The logos of its supporters at the bottom of the home page include: The Searcher and treasure Hunting magazines, but also Mark Harrison's Heritage Watch and the Portable Antiquities Scheme. I wonder why they would be supporting such an organization.