Animal rights activists have called on the NHS to remove game meat from its menus, just months after British Game Assurance revealed it had been successfully introduced. In a national newspaper story, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) compared venison on a hospital menu to giving out cigarettes because eating saturated fat is, the organisations claims, as bad as smoking. BGA chief executive Liam Stokes said: “This is mad, and not only because venison contains around 75 per cent less saturated fat than beef. Venison is such a lean, healthy meat. It tastes amazing ...

Ahead of this year’s National Hedgerow Week (running all this week), more than 60 hedgelayers from around the UK and Ireland converged on East Hampshire for a Guinness World Record attempt for the longest stretch of hedge laid in 12 hours. Dr Francis Buner, senior scientist at the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) was called upon for scientific advice and to act as ‘specialist witness’ for the world record attempt. The event at the Rotherfield Park Estate resulted in a remarkable 555.4 metres of hedges laid in approximately seven and a half hours - a ...

The Country Food Trust, The Game Fair’s official charity, has launched a Winter Appeal with the goal of raising £200,000 to help feed families in crisis. The Trust says that, with the on-going squeeze in household budgets due to rising food and energy prices, more people than ever are turning to local food banks for help. And it says that, with foodbanks now outnumbering McDonalds outlets, demand has doubled yet donations are reportedly down 70 per cent. So the Trust wants to deliver hundreds of thousands of meals and to those in need. It says nutritional, ...

The Canal and River Trust’s Let’s Fish! initiative encouraged thousands of new and lapsed anglers to try fishing through a programme of targeted events, including The Game Fair at Ragley Hall. Indeed, during the 2021 season, the CRT scheme saw a total of 8,589 participants at 452 Let’s Fish! Events, according to the organisation’s annual report, which has just been released. Using venues like the lake at Ragley Hall along with canals, rivers and lakes throughout the UK, the initiative offers ‘catch and release’ freshwater fishing while revealing the wellbeing benefits of being by the waterways. ...

A unique collaboration between a countryside charity, a financial business, the media and The Game Fair has resulted in three iconic films on planting woodlands for the future, which tens of thousands of people have already seen. The Queen’s Green Canopy, a huge tree-planting initiative surrounding Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee, was the catalyst for the partnership, formed between the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity Woodland Trust, banking and wealth management group Investec and The Field, the hugely popular countryside and fieldsports publication. The target of three 70-acre forests could equate to around 135,000 trees in total, ...

The Country Food Trust, this year’s official charity partner for The Game Fair at Ragley Hall, at the end of July, raised a total of £7,500 during the event. The team reported a fantastic weekend at the show, meeting old and new faces and would like to extend their thanks to The Game Fair, Ragley Hall, HRH Princess Anne and the Trust’s patrons Phil Spencer, Mike Robinson and Adam Henson. With special thanks to all the organisations who generously donated a share of their income over the weekend on point of purchase, including Rosemullion Distillery, Jack ...

Switch the wellies for deck shoes and see what’s in store Taking place from 16-25 September, the Southampton International Boat Show, is the biggest marine showcase in the UK and one of Europe’s largest on-water events. Whether you’re a complete novice dipping your toes in for the first time or a seasoned pro looking for the latest kit or even a new boat, with hundreds of exhibitors, over 650 craft on display, a purpose-built marina, a whole host of attractions, a brand-new VIP experience and the best of all things marine, the show really has something ...

The Country Food Trust – the official charity of The Game Fair for the past two years – has appointed Harriett Priest as an ambassador and events manager. Harriett grew up in Wiltshire, where game shooting and attending equestrian events were a big part of her life. They are still sports which she holds close to her heart however, since moving to London two years ago, they haven’t been too readily available. Harriett has been in the event sector for over 15 years, much of her experience has been with large scale, outdoor live events, which ...

The game meat campaign EatWild has moved to another level following a successful stint at The Game Fair at Ragley Hall, Warwickshire, unveiling its own online shop to allow people to try game in their own homes. Hundreds of people from all walks of life swarmed the British Game Assurance (BGA) stand at the event at the end of July, where the EatWild team were cooking up free samples, handing out recipe books and getting the public excited to back British game. EatWild is the BGA’s public-facing campaign for game, where all references to shooting are ...

Fairfax & Favor and Le Chameau forge ‘L’Alliance’ at Game Fair Two of Britain’s iconic country brands, Fairfax & Favor and Le Chameau, unveiled their L’Alliance boot collaboration to a packed stand at this year’s Game Fair at Ragley Hall. Invited media and guests – fuelled by cocktails from 12Keys and sustainably sourced seasonal game canapes by Cocotte – welcomed the boot, which is a combination of each brand’s most signature designs, the Regina and the Chasseur. Among the VIPs and industry influencers attending were Adam Henson, JB Gill, Aly Vance, Tom Payne and Ben Randall. Since the launch at The ...

Last weekend saw the official relaunch of The Shotgun & Chelsea Bun Club at The Game Fair. The next chapter of the ladies’ clay shooting club was celebrated by BASC, who hosted a drinks reception to raise awareness of ladies shooting and celebrate the relaunch of this much loved club and its plans for the future. The S&CBC is now under the new ownership of Georgina Roberts, Olympic Trap Shooter representing Wales and Great Britain, and the relaunch has been a pivotal moment for the club. During the reception, Georgina demonstrated why ladies shooting is so ...

On Friday the 29th of July shooting website GunsOnPegs celebrated the launch of its new open publishing platform, The Game Card, by welcoming writers and content creators from across the shooting community - both established and those starting out - for Bloody Marys and venison breakfast buns. The Game Card, a magazine app with a difference, was launched to GunsOnPegs users earlier in the year, has enjoyed significant growth, said Managing Director Chris Horne, who went on to explain that the most exciting outcome from the first few months has been the sky-high engagement rates, with ...

The BASC honours and awards presentation took centre stage on day two of The Game Fair at Ragley Hall yesterday. Heading the line-up was the Lytham and District Wildfowlers Association, who received the Stanley Duncan Conservation Trophy. The award is presented annually by BASC to reflect the contribution of a BASC club, group of members or individual who undertake outstanding conservation work. James Green, BASC’s head of wildfowling, said the club had provided highly valued support to BASC, particularly the wildfowling department, by assisting with the development and delivery of a series of Natural England (NE) ...

The sound of shotguns rang out across Ragley Hall in Warwickshire on Friday morning for the opening ceremony of the 63rd year of The Game Fair. The annual gun salute was led by film star Vinnie Jones and other notable luminaries from the world of country pursuits and used as an opportunity to thank the Marques of Hertford for lending his estate to the landmark event. Later in the day The Princess Royal flew in to enjoy a tour of the show spending time with British Association for Shooting & Conservation before presenting the inaugural Prince ...

Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal visited the BASC stand at the Game Fair today (Friday 29 July) and presented two new awards to commemorate her father the Duke of Edinburgh’s 53-year patronage of BASC. BASC chief executive Ian Bell said: “It was absolutely wonderful to welcome The Princess Royal to the BASC stand today to present the awards. The Duke of Edinburgh was BASC’s patron for more than half a century. He exemplified the ideals of shooting and conservation and keenly understood the importance of a strong relationship between the two. We felt it only right ...

Thackray Brown offers a sustainable alternative to the luxury hamper. bringing you premium fare, handpicked from the best independent producers in Britain. From regional classics to award-winning innovations, provenance, quality & taste are at the heart of what they do. From Borough Market to the Orkney islands, they source exclusively from thoughtful producers who all share a level of passion, expertise and attention to detail that means their hampers deliver the most memorable food experience. As a modern hamper company with a 21st century ethos, Thackray Brown uses ethical British packaging for their hampers of either ...

Governments in the UK and overseas can cause major damage to shooting and conservation – despite those who shoot benefiting the environment through conservation work and pest control. We want the government to work with those who shoot – not against us. That’s why we’re backing the FACE petition. We’ll deliver the UK signatures to the government – and we’re already seeing changes in the way shooting is treated by politicians as the petition tops 60,000 signatures. So, if you’re passionate about your shooting please do two things: • Sign the petition here. • Please forward ...

Selena Barr explores why The Game Fair is a national treasure and everyone should attend at least once. The Game Fair – the largest, tweediest, doggiest, most immersive, comprehensive and joyous countryside festival in the world. This year it will be held at Ragley Hall in Warwickshire from Friday 29 to Sunday 31 July. If you have never been before, the three-day event is a British institution and a must-attend diary fixture that brings together not only rural folk but the town too. Dubbed ‘Glastonbury for the green welly brigade’ it provides a unique insight into country ...