The Wildlife Habitat Trust (WHT) has granted a loan of £135,000 to the Ely & District Wildfowlers’ Association to help with the purchase of 15.7 acres of land known as President’s Wash at Ouse Washes near Welney in Norfolk.
The purchase will protect the club’s shooting rights on the land and give it the opportunity to introduce non-club members to wildfowling through the BASC wildfowling permit scheme.
The WHT has been working to build on the financial options it can offer to applicants.
Ely & District Wildfowlers’ Association treasurer David Wilcox said: “This land has a long history of management for shooting and has been managed by the Association for over 30 years. When the land unexpectedly came up for sale we turned to the WHT for financial assistance to ensure the land was retained for the use of our members. This is the fourth time we have successfully asked the WHT for assistance and on this occasion they have surpassed themselves with a truly innovative and flexible financial package to ensure our shooting and conservation interests on the Ouse Washes are preserved for the future.”
Tim Russell, WHT secretary and director of conservation at BASC, said: “I am delighted that the Ely and District Wildfowlers’ Association has been successful with this purchase. Securing land on the Ouse Washes is not easy and I am sure that this purchase will be of great benefit to the club in the future.”
“With the spiralling land prices seen over the last 10 years the WHT will endeavour to assist applicants by offering them a variety of lending and repayment options to enable them to secure the land purchase.”
For more information about Ely & District Wildfowlers’ Association membership, contact : davidwilcox@btinternet.com or go to: http://elywildfowlers.org.uk/
For more information about the WHT visit: http://www.wht.org.uk/.