A Somerset wildfowlers’ club has been able to buy land for shooting and conservation projects with the help of a loan from the Wildlife Habitat Trust. The £18,000 loan will go towards the purchase of just over 10.5 acres of grazing wetland at Aller Moor near Bridgwater in Somerset.
Stuart Hill, Chairman of Bridgwater Bay Wildfowlers said: “Land purchase for an association can be very stressful. WHT has helped us to buy 10.5 acres of wetland which helped us to secure just over 7 acres of adjacent wildfowling from other landowners. WHT’s favorable terms, fast, friendly and efficient service, coupled with BASC’s land & conservation departments’ and the WHT trustees’ help to meet the strict timescales have been a fantastic asset for wildfowling & conservation.”
Tim Russell, WHT secretary and director of conservation at BASC, said: “I am delighted that the Bridgwater Bay Wildfowlers have turned to the WHT again to help them buy more land for shooting and conservation. By using the WHT the club has increased its shooting and this has enabled them to offer more memberships. Clearly the WHT is the best organisation to provide financial help to clubs wishing to buy land. Clubs that buy land not only get more shooting opportunity but also have the chance to attract more members, helping to grow the sport.”
The WHT was set up in 1986 by the UK’s largest shooting organisation, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC). To date the WHT has provided loans and grants totalling more than £1.5 million to support 79 successful land acquisitions and projects by shooting and conservation groups. This has allowed 4,000 acres of land to be purchased by clubs which amounts to more than £2.8 million in land value.
For more information on membership please contact the club by email on bridgwaterbaywildfowlers@outlook.com
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