Donation to the Gamekeepers Welfare Trust
FOUR of the gamekeeping community’s key membership organisations recently donated £1,100.00 to the Gamekeepers’ Welfare Trust (GWT), saying on social media “This charity gives fantastic assistance to those who do the hard yards to manage the countryside on our behalf.”
The donation came about as a result of Wild Justice’s attempt to judicial review England’s most recent burning legislation, the Heather and Grass Burning (England) Regulations 2021. The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation (NGO), The Countryside Alliance and the Moorland Association were able to register as interested parties and to therefore submit evidence to the Judge. Mr Justice Dove dismissed the attempt and Wild Justice were ordered to pay Defra costs up to the sum of £8,900 and the interested parties £1,100.
BASC, NGO, The Countryside Alliance and the Moorland Association donated their costs to GWT. A spokesperson for the four organisations said “The interested parties have agreed that the costs recovered from Wild Justice will in turn be donated to the Gamekeepers’ Welfare Trust, a charity close to all our members’ hearts.”
Helen MJ Benson, GWT’s Chief Executive Officer, said “We’re delighted and very grateful to the four organisations for this donation. It will be used to help the range of work we deliver with and for people in gamekeeping professions and members of their families. We work with gamekeepers, stalkers, ghillies and their families, providing a range of support including financial grants, employment help, counselling, and more. The last year or so has seen an increase in people contacting our free Jamie’s Helpline for a variety of reasons. As we move into 2022, our 30th year, we’ll be launching The Year of the Gamekeeper and a vital fundraising campaign to ensure we can continue to meet the needs of our community. This donation, and all others, is gratefully received.”
Image Credit: Tim Green
