COUNTRYSIDE ALLIANCE

The Rural Forum format works well as a way of getting MP’s in front of their constituents to discuss issues of interest and concern to them and the Countryside Alliance. I will be suggesting this format to interested MP’s who I meet over the next few months which will include Julian Smith [Skipton], Angela Smith [Penistone and Stocksbridge], Pat Glass [North West Durham], Helen Goodman [Bishop Auckland], Graham Stuart ], Natascha Engel [North East Derbyshire] and Alan Campbell [North Shields].

If you an MP who may be interested in getting involved in the work of the CA in this away, please do get in touch at simon-hamlyn@countryside-alliance.org

Many thanks to Jon Carter from the Owlerton stadium in Sheffield for helping to organise a CA members evening at the greyhound track back on the 24th of January – a terrific evening enjoyed by all!

I am delighted that on the 23rd of May our newly appointed Executive Chairman, Sir Barney White Spunner will be speaking at our Sporting Dinner at the Manchester Tennis and Racquets club. There will be a 4 - course dinner with wine and a sporting auction and the opportunity to hear first hand from Barney his vision for the Countryside Alliance and the future of field sports. 

Before then we will be holding a Countryside Alliance quiz night in Cheshire, along with a CA Golf day and we will be attending the BASC Gamekeepers fair at Catton hall, south

Derbyshire for the first time in a number of years.

On the 27th of April we will be holding the first ever northern Game shooting seminar at the Spread Eagle Inn, Sawley, Lancashire.

Delegates will be able to hear talks from key note speakers including from David Taylor the CA’s Shoot Campaign Manager on our future plans to promote and protect sporting shooting, from Adrian Blackmore the CA’s Moorland Director on the important role of grouse moor management and from the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust. There are more details later on in the newsletter.

Please don’t forget the clay shooting event of the year - the Whitfield Annual Clay Shoot at Whitfield near Hexham on the 12th and 13th of May. This year there is an event sponsor – Swinburne and Jackson - a well-established law firm based in the North East. Details on how to book your team place will be included later on in this newsletter.

WACS_Shoot_form - download an application form here

If you are running an event or activity in the region and you would like help in promoting what you’re doing, please get in touch so we can help through our web site and the grass – e route newsletter.  
If you would like to get involved with the Countryside Alliance in the north, through volunteering or helping at shows or events or with regional fundraising activities, please get in touch.

I am always on the lookout for enthusiastic volunteers and helpers so just e – mail simon-hamlyn@countryside-alliance.org  or call me on 01978 780144 or 07818 553635. If you’ve any bright ideas please get in touch!

2012 is also going to be a busy time for elections. These will be held in 131 English local authorities, all 32 Scottish local authorities and 21 of the 22 Welsh councils alongside elections for Mayor of London and the London Assembly. Later in the year, the Government has timetabled the inaugural election of directly elected Police Commissioners for November.  The Countryside Alliance has always encouraged rural communities to become involved in the democratic process so that our voices can be heard and local elections can be nearly as important as the general election. Please do take this opportunity to not only vote but to take part in the electoral process and have your views listened to by our politicians

As I leave home in the early hours this morning to ‘do’ my horse & rush back home in time for work, the temperature gauge in the car fluctuates around the -6°C to -8°C mark, yet again!  My route to the stables takes me via the final road-crossing and a glimpse of the last fence on the High Peak Hunt’s point-to-point course at Flagg (see photo attached). I marvel in horror at the fence buried under a 4’ snow drift and wonder whether we will ever manage to throw off the vestiges of winter in time to hold the meeting on its’ traditional date of Easter Tuesday – this year on 10th April – only 8 weeks away.
On arrival at the yard I become even more despondent & abandon all hope of ‘exercising’ after a scene reminiscent of Bambi whilst trying to negotiate ‘pent-up’ horses from their stables, across the yard to the indoor school.  Although hounds have met on foot, we have not been mounted for over a fortnight now & keeping horses ‘entertained’ and fit for that day when it all suddenly melts is becoming increasingly difficult.

However, after a well-earned warming cup of coffee along with a quick flick through John Beasley’s Big Green Annual of Point-to-Point Racing 2011 (available from Paleface Publications), my spirits are lifted.  How lush & green the images of Flagg appear in 2011.  The meeting was held only one week later last year, on 17th April & after the 2010/11 winter we had, we can surely do even better this time round.
I am further encouraged on my return trip home – the sun is shining, temperatures are rising and the farmers are muck-spreading like mad whilst they can still get on the land – inadvertently helping to produce that lush, near perfect going on the old grassland – such familiar territory to the High Peak Hunt.  Do our farmers know something we don’t?  Can spring really be on its way?

My attention is drawn to a frenzied commotion and twittering along the headlands, along with the incessant ‘drilling’ of a woodpecker … and I remember that only recently there was a major event in the social calendar –Valentine’s Day.  This date is not only of major significance for those incurable romantics amongst us, but as well to all birds of the feathered variety.  Apparently this is the ‘official’ date that birds commence laying their eggs – something to do with warmth and lengthening daylight hours. So somebody somewhere must definitely know something we don’t!  Just a pity that my old hens at home aren’t yet taking the hint – despite the amorous advances of Rocky, the cockerel!

Having pondered all the above, I find myself now back at home and determined to ‘kick-on’ with my training and entry for the High Peak Hunt Members Race at Flagg and to encourage my compatriots to do likewise.  For other interested parties, more information is available from: www.flaggraces.co.uk or www.highpeakhunt.org.  

Any media or PR enquiries can be directed to Rachel McQueen at rjmcqueen@gmail.com  - Rachel is Committee member of the High Peak Hunt and Flagg Races

As we’ve come to the end of another game shooting season, I wanted to update you on some of our important plans designed to help promote and protect sporting shooting.

Over the past 12 months we’ve enjoyed a number of important achievements in vital areas which have included –

• Lobbying against unnecessary restrictions on sporting shooting
• Specifically defended young people from a parliamentary Bill aiming to impose a minimum age of 14 for a shotgun certificate•Encouraging more people into shooting, especially youngsters•Promoting eating game through our nationally recognised Game to Eat initiative
• Strengthened further our shooting advice team with more high quality expertise

Looking ahead into 2012, we will continue to build on the successes of last year and will be involved in key areas of activity where we will -

• Oppose the proposed rise in licensing fees
• Campaign in favour of lead ammunition and its responsible use
• Lobby to change firearms legislation to make it less complex for shooters
• Promote the importance of moorland shooting to the wider public and shooting community
• Communicate the results of the research, we helped fund, undertaken by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust into Woodcock migration

Supportive members remain our life blood. We must work together to ensure that this generation, and the generations to come will continue to enjoy our wonderful sport, regardless of the obstacles which may confront us. If you’ve collected money for the Countryside Alliance over the season or would like to make a donation to support our important work, please forward cheques [payable to the Shooting Campaign], to The Shooting Campaign, The Old Town Hall, 367, Kennington Road, London, SE11 4PT

Gamekeeping news

Last month I touched on the need for proactive planning when looking forwards to next season. It is all to easy to forget that the seeds of the next seasons shooting have already been sown. On many shoots and game farms laying stock has already been selected and the conditioning process leading up to lay has already started. With incubators and hatchers being cleaned, serviced and checked.  The annual war against vermin has already started, the constant need to get on top of rat numbers in redundant maize cover crops, store rooms and rearing fields has been reflected in the demand for rat bait over the last few weeks. As an avid rat slayer, I am happy to support this ongoing battle by offering a great deal on 20kg whole wheat rat bait, please contact me for the price, which as of yet, I haven't seen beaten.  For us all the Country Keeper team it has been full speed ahead since the turn of the year, we have released our new 2012 feed, products and cover crop catalogue this week. So if you are interested in talking about the feed we supply, the cover crop options available or you are thinking about upgrading some equipment for the release pens, rearing field or across the shoot, please be in touch I am more than happy to send you a free copy or talk through your requirements and provide a quote. We offer value for money, high quality products, fast delivery and friendly service all at the end of the phone. The British shooting show at the end of this month marks our first show of the year, so if you are coming to the show please stop by at our stand in the gamekeeping pavilion, for a chat and a cup of tea.  

Tom Blades - Country Keeper - 07825 138298 

With the season coming to end, jobs like habitat management, breeding and pest control will be on the ‘to do’ list. But there are the administrative jobs as well - a lease may need renewing and the management plan updating. Over the last year I have attended a number of meetings with conservation groups and local authority officers and have been surprised by one question they have all asked, “Can we see your lease and how long is it for?” I have always said that this was a matter the association does not share with third parties. 

But as the pressure on foreshore increases due to recreational activities, such as kite surfing or bird watching, can you maintain the lease at a marketable value? In some areas of the country landlords may want to try to find ways of increasing their return on the foreshore or marsh. My association has always had a good relationship with our landlords and I hope that counts for something. In a world where finance is increasingly important to people and conservation groups have large funds to draw on and may look to compete with wildfowlers for territory. This has already happened!

One of the problems of running a wildfowling association is getting people interested in the paper work! Wildfowling associations are increasingly involved in more and more administration, usually imposed from an external source. Small associations will be all too familiar with getting the right people on the committee who can get things done. This poses the question will more associations merge to form bigger more efficient organisations? 

Stephen Thompson is Chairman of the Walney Island Wildfowlers Association

A debate in Westminster has been called by Roger Williams MP on High Street Bank Branch Closures in Rural Areas. This will take place this coming Tuesday. Once again the Countryside Alliance has expressed its concern for rural communities which face shortages in access to financial services, including high street banking. Through our membership of the Post Bank Coalition, we are calling on the Government to expand the services offered by the Post Office to include financial and banking opportunities. We believe that this will ensure the long term viability of the Post Office network by ensuring it meets the needs of small businesses and communities. A briefing has been sent to politicians ahead of the debate.

In the north I’ve now selected our Champions, and have given their details to the National Judging Panel, which includes Clarissa Dickson Wright. All regional champions will now descend on the House of Lords on 7th March to celebrate their success, meet fellow winners and, crucially, find out if they are to add a UK and Ireland title to their collection. Good luck all! 

Local Food category
Winner: The Hollies Farm Shop, Little Budworth, Tarporley, Cheshire 01829 760414 

Highly Commended: H.S.Bourne, Cheesemonger. Malpas, Cheshire 01948 770214 Error! 

Village Shop/Post Office category
Winner: Antrobus Community Shop and PO, Antrobus, Knutsford, Northwich, Cheshire, 01606 891 992.

Highly Commended: Storth Post Office, Storth, Nr Milnthorpe, Cumbria, 015395 63392

Enterprise category
Winner - Lyvennet Community Pub, Crosby Ravensworth, Penrith, Cumbria, 01931 715722 http://www.lyvennetcommunitypub.com/.

Highly commended - R Fiddlers Lancashire Crisps, Rufford, Lancashire, 01704 823572

Butcher category
Winner: NB Taylor and Sons, Milburn, Penrith, Cumbria, 017683 615 95 http://www.low-howgill-traditional-meats.co.uk/. 

Highly Commended: Whitehead's Butchers, Edgworth, Bolton, Lancashire, 0843 259 2162

Local Food category 
Keelham Farm Shop, Brighouse and Denholme Road, Thornton, West Yorkshire, 01274 833 472 http://keelhamfarmshop.co.uk/. Highly Commended: Beningbrough Home Farm Shop, Beningborough, York, North Yorkshire  

Dale Stores, Birstwith, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, 01423 770271 www.dalestores.co.uk.  Enterprise category 
The Hovingham Village Market, Hovingham, York, North Yorkshire, 01653 627255, http://market.apcp.com/hovingham1.htm. 

Highly Commended: Wholecrop Marketing, Kirkburn, Driffield, East Yorkshire, 01377 217873, http://wholecropmarketing.co.uk 

Joint winners:
Ellisons Butchers, Cullingworth, Bradford, West Yorkshire, 01535 272 491 www.ellisonhogroast.co.uk/AndLishman's of Ilkley, Ilkley, West Yorkshire, 01943 609436, www.lishmansonline.co.uk.

Local Food category: Blagdon Farm Shop, Blagdon, Northumberland, 01670 789924 http://theblagdonfarmshop.co.uk. 

Highly Commended: Carroll's Heritage Potatoes, Cornhill on Tweed, Northumberland, 01890 883060 www.heritage-potatoes.co.uk/index.php 

Humshaugh Village Shop, Humshaugh, Hexham, Northumberland 01434 681258 www.humshaughshop.co.uk/.

Highly Commended: Belsay Village Shop, Belsay, Northumberland, 01661 881207

Enterprise category: 
Down at the Farm, Houghton le Spring, County Durham, 0191 584 1873 www.downatthefarm.co.uk. 

Highly Commended: The Doddington Dairy, North Doddington, Wooler, Northumberland 01668 283010 www.doddingtondairy.co.uk 

Robinson’s, Wingate, Co Durham 01429 838204 www.robinsons-wingate.co.uk. 

Highly Commended: R Green & Son Family Butcher, Longframlington, Morpeth, Northumberland, 01665 570 253 

Countryside Alliance quiz night – 7.00pm for 7.30pm startOur wonderful Cheshire committee member Jilly Higgin, is running a Countryside Alliance quiz night on the 1st March, at Audlem village hall, Audlem, Cheshire.Tickets are £15 per person which includes supper and to book your places please call Jilly on 01270 520577. Cheques need to be made out to the Countryside Alliance and payment can be made on the night, once you're booked in! Here is a sample question -"Which popular bird was named after what was wrongly thought to be its country of origin?" To find out the answer, come along on the 1st but book soon as places are limited!There will also be a raffle during the evening to win a hamper from the Hollies Farm in Tarporley, a cheese from H.S. Bourne, Malpas cheese maker, plus other delights.To book your place, please call Jilly on 07738413593 or 01270520577.

Wednesday 14th MarchA ‘Ladies Luncheon’ at the Wheatley Arms, Wheatley Lane, Ben Rhydding, Ilkley, West Yorkshire.With a guest speaker from the Northern Ballet school.Enjoy a truly cultural experience at the Wheatley Arms, a new Countryside Alliance Trade member through Individual Inns. To book your place for lunch, please call 01943 81649614th and 15th of AprilBASC Gamekeepers Fair Catton hall, South DerbyshireWe’ve not been at this show for a number of years so it’s good to be back. Visit us on the Countryside Alliance stand and enjoy game cookery demonstrations with Chef Rob Brown, meet the Derby, Notts and Staffs beagles, enjoy the ferrets and falconry have a taste from our game barbeque and enjoy a game pie from Mettrick’s butchers, a CA regional Award winner. 
For more details go to www.bascgamekeepersfair.co.uk.

Friday 27th April - Game Shooting Seminar – The Spread Eagle, Sawley, Lancashire - The Countryside Alliance is delighted to announce that it is holding a Game Shooting seminar on Friday the 27th April.This will be an excellent opportunity for you to hear firsthand about our work in this area with talks from key note speakers including David Taylor the Countryside Alliance’s Shoot Campaign Manager on our future plans to promote and protect sporting shooting, from the Countryside Alliance firearms consultant Graham Downing on the future for firearms licensing and legalisation and the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust on some of their key work programmes. There will be a Q&A session on a wide range of shooting related topics chaired by the Countryside Alliance northern regional director Simon Hamlyn.The seminar will begin at 11.30, there will be refreshments throughout the day, a light lunch and we anticipate finishing at around 2.30pm.There is no cost of attending this seminar, but places will be limited so to ensure your place, please e – mail Simon Hamlyn at simon-hamlyn@countryside-alliance.org or call 07818 553635 with your details and the number in your party.

The clay shooting event of the year which this year has an event sponsor - Swinburne and Jackson who are a well-established law firm based in the North East. For the first time there will be a CA Ladies Team Trophy to be won each day, sponsored by the Countryside Alliance. The Whitfield Annual Clay shoot has been running for over 15 years and each year the proceeds go to deserving causes including the Countryside Alliance, the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust and other local good causes.

There is also a perpetual trophy for highest overall team score and a top gamekeeper’s team special prize each day

There are 10 simulated game flushes -

1.Driven grouse 

2.The snipe bog           

3.Driven partridge

4.The rough shoot  

5.Bolting rabbit

6.Woodcock                                  

7.High pheasant 8.Teal                

9.Sporting wildfowl  

10.Pigeon                      

There is also a bar, snacks, trade stands and there are cartridges for sale To book your place at a cost of £300 per team of 4, please contact Stuart Maughan on 01434 345250 or 0750 1460017 or e - mail Stuart at parkheadfarm@btconnect.com

31st May Countryside Alliance Golf day - Pryors Hayes Golf Club, Tarvin, nr ChesterThis is the first ever northern region Golf Day so join us at this prestigious venue. The day starts at 11.30am with light lunch, followed by 18 holes, shotgun start, Stapleford 4 ball, followed by 3 - course dinner [including glass of wine], auction and prize giving. 
The cost per team of 4 is £300 and to book your place contact Regional Chairman, Nick Morrall on 01573 450692 or e – mail nick.morrall@kingsdowneconsulting.co.uk.
Cheques should be made payable to the Countryside Alliance and sent to Simon Hamlyn, Fraser Cottage, High Street, Bangor on Dee, LL13 0AU

10th June - Myerscough College Open Day and Country Fair [10am – 5pm]
Visit the Countryside Alliance in the countryside area to meet the hounds and enjoy the sights and sounds of the countryside. Admission is £15.00 per car and for more details go to www.myerscough.ac.uk.21st - 22nd June Jeremy Houghton ‘Official Olympic artist’ Exhibition at Fountaine Inn, Linton in Craven, north YorkshireJeremy Houghton has joined forces with the Countryside Alliance to help raise campaign funds through exhibitions of his wonderful paintings. There will be an invitation only viewing and reception on the 21st of June from 4.30pm – 6.30pm,  followed by an open viewing on the 22nd of June 10am – 2pm.
To reserve your place for the reception on the 21st, please e – mail simon-hamlyn@countryside-alliance.org or call 07818 553635 or 01978 780144

10th – 12th July
The Great Yorkshire show, Yorkshire Agricultural Society, Regional Agricultural Centre,Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate, HG2 8NZ
Visit the Countryside Alliance stand and enjoy meeting Chris Green the Countryman, Clarissa Dickson Wright, the Game Conservancy Trust, Individual Inns, hounds, CA Award winners, Ainsty Farm shop and local guns smiths Brown Trout. We’re there all 3 days and you can win a Gallon of Famous Grouse whisky by entering the raffle on any day.

5th August
Cheshire Game and Angling Fair, Peover Estate, Over Peover Cheshire
Visit the Countryside Alliance stand and enjoy game cookery demonstrations from fishing guru, Charles Jardine and the Executive chef from the Mark Addy in Manchester, meet the Cheshire Forest hunt hounds and enjoy some country craft with Ian Burns, Lancashire stick maker.

Lowther Game fair, Lowther Castle, Penrith, Cumbria

11th August
Countryside Alliance, Lowther Ball - For the first time ever, with permission of the Lowther estate and with the support of Countryman Fairs, there will be a Black Tie ball with three course dinner, coffee, auction, raffle, entertainment and dancing in the grounds of Lowther Castle, Penrith, Cumbria.To book your tickets for the Ball [tickets will be no more than £45 per person] please call Hilary Burton the Countryside Alliance Cumbria Chairman on 01768 898241. To make your payment please make your cheque out to the Countryside Alliance and send to Hilary at Brackenbank Lodge, Lazonby, Penrith, Cumbria, CA10 1AX. 

Point to Point dates – 2012
The Point-to-Point season is well and truly underway and of course for many hunts this is a major fundraising event run by volunteers and supporters of the hunt. There is not enough room here to list all the meetings across the region each month but I suggest you go to www.pointtopoint.co.uk where all the fixtures are listed. Also worth a read is the Point-to-Point Authority's 2011/12 Season Magazine which is now available to view online here.4th March 
Derwent hunt Point to Point, Charm Park, Wykeham, Scarborough. The first race is at 12 30pm and the location post code is YO13 9QU.

25th March
The Badsworth and Bramham Moor Point-to-Point will be held at Whitcliffe Grange, Ripon. For more details please contact 07715 123571 or www.bbmh.co.uk

9th April
The Staintondale Hunt Point to Point will be held on Easter Monday the 9th of April 2012 at Charm Park, Wykeham, Scarborough, YO13 9QU
The first race is at 1.00 pm and there is entertainment for all the family, including bar, refreshments, trade stands and a bouncy castle!
If you want us to help publicise your hunt Point to Point, please e – mail me the details at simon-hamlyn@countryside-alliance.org

And finally
Please encourage all your friends, family and hunting, shooting and fishing contacts to register for the Northern region Grass e Route newsletter – it’s absolutely free and will keep you abreast of what’s happening in the region.

The service is free and provides subscribers with the latest news on countryside issues directly. By registering subscribers receive all UK messages and other information appropriate to their local area. Registration is simple just send an email to news@countryside-alliance.org and include "register North" in the subject box. To unsubscribe from Alliance grass e-route at any time, simply send an email to news@countryside-alliance.org and include "Unsubscribe" in the body of the email.

If you’ve any news that you would like to be considered for inclusion in future grass e route newsletter, please do get in touch

ContactsRegional

Chairman Nick Morrall - nick.morrall@kingsdowneconsulting.co.uk

Cheshire Chairman Nigel Lammas - nigel.lammas@mellorbraggins.co.uk

Cumbria Chairman Hilary Burton - info@brackenbank.co.uk

Derbyshire Coordinator Valerie Ferrol - vef2@btinternet.com

Regional DirectorSimon Hamlyn - simon-hamlyn@countryside-alliance.org