Countryside Alliance - love the countryside

Countryside Alliance Chief Executive Simon Hart writes: In a significant boost to the Countryside Alliance’s campaign to improve outdoor learning experiences for all school children, the organisation was called to give evidence to MPs during a session held yesterday by the Children Schools and Families Select Committee.

The Countryside Alliance says the Government is “continuing to fail to lead by example on buying British and supporting British farmers.” A new report shows a fall in the amount of UK-produced food being procured by the Government and its departments. The Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative (PSFPI) published a report at the end of February on the “Proportion of domestically produced food used by government departments.”

Countryside Alliance Chief Executive Simon Hart writes: The Moorlands Association this week released an Uplands Manifesto, which makes a number of important recommendations to the next Government about safeguarding our precious moorlands. Unsurprisingly it identifies shooting and related moorland management as the beating heart of English and Welsh uplands.

Countryside Alliance Chief Executive Simon Hart writes: The 18th February marked the fifth anniversary of the Hunting Act coming into force in England and Wales. Compared with the ‘old days’ interest was quite muted and there remains a general acceptance that a change of Government will bring about Repeal. Readers who have a need to deal with DEFRA will be surprised (or not) to know that the Minister, Hilary Benn MP put hunting sufficiently high on his job list to write about it in a piece in The Guardian. Mr Benn took a trip down memory lane when he wrote. “Like a cornered fox, the pro-hunt lobby is running out of options.”

The Countryside Alliance's events listing is constantly updated and aims to keep you in touch with rural events of interest across the UK. Forthcoming highlights include the Alliance's first ever Ascot Countryside Race Day on Sunday 18th April and the CLA Game Fair's first ever show at Ragley Hall in Warwickshire from 23-25th July.