04 June 2015

Kent clay shoot raises £60,000 for charity

Competitors at the charity day at Chevening House faced the challenge of shooting against 24-times world champion clay shot George Digweed, MBE (pictured shooting). Photocredit: Stuart Hubbard, Demelza Hospice Care for ChildrenA clay shoot in Sevenoaks, Kent has raised £60,000 to be shared between two charities: Demelza Hospice Care for Children, and leading wildlife research charity the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT).

Twenty-four teams took part in the charity shoot at Chevening House on Thursday 21 May, competing over four stands and ending with the challenge of shooting against world champion, George Digweed MBE! Competitors included many of the keenest guns from the South East – John Mackleden, Christopher Rampton, Rochelle Godden, Michael Stanford-Tuck and Gerry Wilton, to name but a few. The shoot took place in glorious sunshine and the participants agreed that the setting could not have been more stunning than the beautiful valley at Chevening.

Sarah Kemsley, Major Donor Manager for Demelza said, “I knew that the shooting fraternity had the reputation for being charitably minded but raising £37,000 on the auction alone surpassed all my expectations. Thanks to our brilliant auctioneer Rhodri Thomas who knew his audience well!

"George Digweed who is a very long term supporter of Demelza was as awesome as ever especially with his demonstration at the end of the evening and I know will have been the highlight of our guests’ day although provoking respect and envy in equal measures!”

Anthony Hamilton, Captain of the Chevening Shoot and Ian Kemsley of Detling Shoot pulled in numerous favours and worked tirelessly to make the day possible. The event was kindly sponsored by Strutt & Parker, and both charities would like to thank everyone who worked hard to make the day such a success.

The two charities will share equally the £60,000 raised by the event, which will help fund both the life-changing care services of Demelza Hospice Care and the ground-breaking scientific research of the GWCT.

Edward Church of Strutt & Parker said, "It was a total pleasure to be involved in such a wonderful event and we are delighted to have raised so much money for two charities."

To learn more about the GWCT please visit www.gwct.org.uk. For more information about Demelza Hospice Care please see www.demelza.org.uk. For more details about the charity clay shoot and future GWCT Kent events, please contact Lizzie Herring on 07885 897647 or by email at lherring@gwct.org.uk.

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Photocaption: Competitors at the charity day at Chevening House faced the challenge of shooting against 24-times world champion clay shot George Digweed, MBE (pictured shooting). Photocredit: Stuart Hubbard, Demelza Hospice Care for Children.

Demelza Hospice Care for Children


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