A group of Dorset Wildfowlers are celebrating after being given a £28,000 boost from the Wildlife Habitat Trust – part of a series of loans totalling almost £170,000 which were made by the organisation in 2009.
The Dorset Wildfowlers’ Association for Shooting and Conservation will now be able to buy eight acres of land at North Meadow, East Burton, near Wool, with the loan.
Allan Harwood, Chairman of the Dorset Wildfowlers, said: “We are delighted that the WHT is providing us with a loan to purchase land for the benefit of the club. We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all the Trustees and those involved at BASC who have helped us take one step further towards securing our wildfowling heritage for future generations, the provision of increased opportunities for existing members and an opportunity to fulfill our conservation aims as well. We are genuinely excited about our future.”
Secretary of the WHT, Tim Russell, said: “We are really pleased that the Dorset Wildfowlers will now be able to buy this land so they can ensure a future for wildfowling on the site. Cases such as this one demonstrate how important it is for shooters to continue to support the WHT’s work by buying their habitat stamps every year.” Details can be found at www.wht.org.uk.
The WHT made loan offers totaling £169,900 last year to clubs to buy land for shooting and conservation purposes.
In addition, the Wildlife Habitat Charitable Trust, which approves grants for national and international projects to help conservation of breeding habitats of the UK’s migratory quarry species, last year handed out £9,568 in grant funding.
The trustees welcome applications via www.wht.org.uk or by calling 01244 573024.