THE Wildlife Habitat Trust (WHT) has given Clevedon Wildfowling Association a £35,000 loan to buy land it has shot over for more than 50 years.
The purchase of 13.80 acres of grazing and a pond in Kingston Seymour, North Somerset, will allow the club to carry out conservation work and manage shooting opportunities.
Club treasurer Jon-Paul Humberstone said: “Yet again, we are extremely grateful to the WHT for continued support of our land and sporting rights acquisition programme. The club has shot over this land for in excess of 50 years and by purchasing it we have further secured the future of wildfowling in the local area for generations to come.
“This most recent purchase is in very close proximity to a previous purchase which was also facilitated by a WHT loan.
“We are great advocates of wildfowling clubs purchasing land or sporting rights at every opportunity. Being a stakeholder not only secures your sport but also enables you to engage further with neighbouring landowners and government bodies that also have an interest in the local area.”
The WHT is dedicated to raising and distributing funds to help with the acquisition of land for conservation and shooting. It was established in 1986 by members of the UK’s largest shooting organisation, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC).
Tim Russell, WHT secretary and director of conservation at BASC, said: “I am delighted the club has been successful with this land purchase. The club has an excellent record of buying land and improving the habitat for wildlife.
“I have visited one of their previous purchases and seen a wide range of plants and animals that would not exist without their careful stewardship. It is always good to see success result in more success and I am pleased the WHT has once again helped this club.”
More information about Clevedon Wildfowling Association can be found here while further details of the WHT can be found here.