Peter Wilson, Olympic gold medal winner, first tested out his clay shooting skills on a Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust’s young shots course when he was just 14 years of age and since then, the career of this world class shooting champion has gone from strength to strength.
Now youngsters aged between 12 and 15 years will have a similar opportunity as Double Trap shooting specialist Peter Wilson when they attend the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust's (GWCT) ‘Young Shooters Course’ during half-term week on a local farm near Newmarket in Suffolk on the 29th October 2014.
Although the one day course will give the youngsters a taste for shooting, this action-packed day is specially designed to introduce the next generation to the joys and thrills of the countryside. The emphasis is very much on outdoor activities with an opportunity to shoot a few clays under expert professional guidance.
Dr Roger Draycott from the GWCT, who will be running the course said, “As well as offering insight on many of our fascinating game species, the day also highlights some of the practical conservation techniques used in the modern countryside. We also include some challenging fieldcraft activities and many of the skills they learn during the day will stay with them for the rest of their lives.”
Students attending the day do not need any specialist equipment but do need to come prepared with outdoor clothing and sturdy foot wear.
During the day students will:
- Receive training in the safe use and maintenance of shotguns
- Get the chance to shoot clays under the guidance of a professional shooting coach (shotguns and safety equipment provided)
- Learn about sportsmanship and identifying quarry species
- Learn about predation control in game and wildlife conservation
- Learn how best to conserve game and farmland wildlife
The course is very kindly supported by the Norman Clark Memorial Fund. Norman was an immensely popular shooting instructor at Holland & Holland.
The cost for attending the course, which runs from 10.am to 4.00pm is £48.00 and includes shooting tuition, gun hire, safety equipment, cartridges, clays and lunch.
Book your place
You can book your place easily online at www.gwct.org.uk/youngshoots.
For more information, or to book your place over the phone please call Lynda Ferguson: 01425 651013 or email: lferguson@gwct.org.uk.
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Photocaption: Gold Medallist Peter Wilson discovered his talent for shooting clays at just 14 when he attended a young shooters day organised by the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust. He had not shot clays before but won the competition. Since then he has not looked back and has gone on to become the UK’s Olympic gold medal winning Double Trap specialist.
Notes to editors
The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust – providing research-led conservation for a thriving countryside. The GWCT is an independent wildlife conservation charity which has carried out scientific research into Britain’s game and wildlife since the 1930s. We advise farmers and landowners on improving wildlife habitats. We employ 22 post-doctoral scientists and 50 other research staff with expertise in areas such as birds, insects, mammals, farming, fish and statistics. We undertake our own research as well as projects funded by contract and grant-aid from Government and private bodies. The Trust is also responsible for a number of Government Biodiversity Action Plan species and is lead partner for grey partridge and joint lead partner for brown hare and black grouse.
For information, contact:
Eleanor Williams
Telephone: 07592 025476
Email: press@gwct.org.uk