BASC, the UK’s largest shooting organisation with a membership of more than 140,000, is calling on its members in England to consider applying for EU LEADER funds when calls for projects are made by Local Action Groups. This is expected to be in the summer of 2015.
EU LEADER funds will be allocated for promoting growth and jobs in rural areas. Shooting is a major economic force in the countryside and shoots and shooting related enterprises will have the opportunity to seek funds to grow their businesses and benefit local areas. Examples which may be relevant include building local game processing and sales and developing shooting tourism.
BASC will be making available resources, links and materials to help applicants as these are published.
Martyn Howat, Chairman of the BASC England Committee said:
“Management of land for shooting is important to the rural economy. The recent independent Value of Shooting survey shows that in England the management of a majority of the rural land area is influenced by shooting. The money spent on shooting contributes £1,700 million to the English economy. BASC and its members are at the sharp end of this economic activity and we welcome this important source of funding, as it comes online, which will enable shooting to contribute even more. We encourage our members to engage with their Local Action Funds.’
Steve Bloomfield, BASC Director of England said:
“We know from the 2014 independent Value of Shooting report that shooting sports provide the equivalent of 61,000 full time jobs in England. Funding such as the EU LEADER programme has the potential to help shooting deliver more employment opportunities and economic growth in rural areas.”
ENDS