An online auction to raise funds to engage with and educate young people about the countryside and the important role fieldsports plays within it has raised £12,500. The auction was run by British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) in aid of the Scottish Youth in the Countryside Education Trust (SYCET) with the aim of funding countryside education initiatives and getting young people out into the countryside.
Nicolle Hamilton from BASC Scotland said: “A huge thanks to everyone who donated or bid for items in our auction. A phenomenal £12,500 was raised to support activities to encourage and educate young people in shooting and wildlife management-related activities and projects. All the money raised will be used to benefit youngsters in Scotland in the “Year of Young People”.
Eoghan Cameron, a member of BASC Council and SYCET Trustee, said: “To have raised such a significant sum for SYCET with this first annual auction is something we’re immensely encouraged by. Sadly, the increasingly urban-centric world in which we live often engenders a lack of awareness of our rural heritage, as well as how and why the countryside is managed.
“Educating young people accordingly is key to raising awareness and promoting understanding of rural practices, including fieldsports. The fact that BASC and SYCET will be rolling out these initiatives in the Year of Young People is all the more fitting. We look forward to building on the success of our 2017 fundraising efforts.”
ENDS