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The 2008 AGM and annual awards Print E-mail
Tuesday, 17 June 2008
Bill Tyrwhitt-Drake, recipient of the Goodson-Wickes AwardThe 2008 Annual General Meeting of the Countryside Alliance was held on Tuesday 17th June at the Royal Horticultural Halls in London.  At the meeting the outcome of the board elections and the Alliance's annual awards were announced. Read on for more about who the Alliance has honoured in 2008 for their dedication to the countryside and its future.

 

New board members are Nick Bannister, Chairman of the Association of Masters of Harriers and Beagles, and Charles Wilson, former Board member and ex-editor of the Times. Stepping down with our grateful thanks for their continuing commitment to the countryside are Professor Caroline Tisdall and Nick Kennedy.

 

CITATIONS FOR 2008 COUNTRYSIDE ALLIANCE AWARDS

THE GOODSON-WICKES AWARD
This was introduced in 1998 and in its first year was given to Dr Charles Goodson-Wickes. The award is for Staff or Members who have contributed most to the development and achievements of the Countryside Alliance over the past year.  The award is a bronze which they can keep for one year.

Winner: Bill Tyrwhitt-Drake
There are few people in the history of the British Field Sports Society or the Alliance who have done more for the cause of field sports than Bill.

Chairman Kate Hoey MP and Vice Chairman Lord Mancroft congratulate Bill

 

Apart from an unparalleled record as a fundraiser both in his home county of Hampshire but further afield within his region, he has also played a significant role in developing and promoting the arguments for shooting and other country sports.

“ Bill’s Hampshire estate is one of Britain’s finest examples of all country sports living in harmony with each other and fitting comfortably with modern farming business.”
He is probably the only person who could have brokered an agreement between all the organisations within shooting in constructing and publishing the Code of Good Shooting Practice and is making equal headway with the Shoot Standards Assurance Scheme.

Bill’s Hampshire estate is one of Britain’s finest examples of all country sports living in harmony with each other and fitting comfortably with modern farming business.

Bill has also led the Regional Chairmen for the Alliance for a number of a years as well as providing sound advice to the Board.

There can be few more deserving recipients of this award.

THE BEAUFORT AWARD
This is awarded to a person, who, over a long period of time, has been a prominent supporter, and through his or her work on behalf of field sports has made an outstanding contribution.  This may include someone who is employed by the Alliance or receives expenses.

Winner: David Latham   

We are proud and privileged to pay tribute to Countryside Campaigner and Master of Foxhounds David Latham who sadly died recently whilst travelling through India.  David, who lived in Cornwall, drowned in a swimming accident in the Arabian Sea off Goa while celebrating his 30th wedding anniversary with his wife Jo.
David was an extremely well known and admired figure in the hunting world and was the south west chairman of the Countryside Alliance for many years. In 1997 he was instrumental in organising the march from Penzance to London as part of the protests against the hunting ban.  At every march, rally and demonstration both here in the south west and nationally in London, David was at the fore leading the way with his unique and inspirational leadership as well as coordinating the arrangements with military precision.  Always beside him was his wife Jo.  As the saying goes, behind every successful man is an exceptionally good woman and Jo was the muse who inspired David to all that he achieved in his life.
“ The best tribute we could pay David today is to pledge to keep up the fight against this unwanted and unjust legislation because he dedicated such a large part of his life to doing just that and he believed in it passionately”
Today is not a time for political speeches but it has to be said that in spite of apparently overwhelming pressure in the form of government legislation, country sports in general and hunting in particular are in far better health than anyone could have imagined.  Part of the reason for this is due to the dogged determination of people like David Latham.  He was the leading light that galvanised the rest of us into keeping up the fight and his inspirational leadership engendered in country people a feeling that the war is still there to be won.

The best tribute we could pay David today is to pledge to keep up the fight against this unwanted and unjust legislation because he dedicated such a large part of his life to doing just that and he believed in it passionately.

David was the most energetic, dynamic man that anyone could know.  He was an inspiration to many and for those of us here today who knew him it was a privilege to have been his friend.

Sadly Jo is unable to be with us today but Alison Hawes is here to kindly accept the award on her behalf.

THE WELCHMAN AWARD
This is awarded to a person who is judged to have rendered outstanding service to field sports during the year.  This is usually given to someone who does everything on a totally voluntary basis.

Winner: Tony Wright
During his life Tony has displayed a stubborn, single-mindedness which he has directed towards hunting. He inherited the hunting gene from his father, whose long career in hunt service included being professional huntsman to the Berkeley, Cotswold Vale Farmers, and at the Albrighton where he was kennel huntsman for Anthony Hart until a serious fall brought about his retirement. He died when Tony was just 11 years old and Tony had to battle against a loving mother who was determined to see that her youngest son would pursue any career other than one in hunt service.

 

Kate Hoey MP awards Tony Wright

“ During his life Tony has displayed a stubborn, single-mindedness which he has directed towards hunting.”
Tony became a member of the British Fields Sports Society and spent as much time as possible following hounds. He would bicycle to meets of the Albrighton on Saturdays, or bunk off school on Tuesdays and cadge a lift in the hound lorry driven by the huntsman, Alan Hopkins who would pick him up on route to the meet. In order not to let his mother find out about this the books in his school brief case were replaced on the Monday night by a complete change of clothes in order that Tony returned home on Tuesday evening in a pristine state!
 
Since those days he has risen through the ranks of his profession to the lofty post of Huntsman to the Exmoor Foxhounds, a position he has held for 26 seasons. When the Hunting Act was enforced the Exmoor continued to fulfill all its remaining fixtures to the end of April, hunting within the law.

However, on the 29th of April, 2005 from a meet at Prayway Head two members of the League Against Cruel Sports took film which they claimed to show the Exmoor huntsman hunting illegally, and the LACS brought a private prosecution against him. With help and guidance from The Countryside Alliance Tony contested this through the courts, a process which took two and a half years.

Throughout this time Tony displayed many of the qualities that had brought him to fulfilling his lifelong dream of being a Professional Huntsman, and despite times when he could have taken the easy option and given in he stuck doggedly to the line, which concluded with the victory in Exeter Crown Court.

It is for all these reasons and many more that we are today delighted to award Tony the Welchman Award.

PRESIDENT’S AWARDS
These are Certificates awarded to volunteers who have given the Alliance support at local level over a long period of time or who have been tremendous help over the last year.  Names of people who gain a President’s award are read out at the AGM but we leave it to Regional Directors to arrange presentations at a local level, i.e., at a show or a Committee.

Awarded to: Outgoing County & Regional Chairmen  

Retiring County or Regional Chairmen:
§    Russell Lucas-Rowe (Dorset CC)
§    Dylan Davies (Merionethshire CC)
§    Jeremy Hutton (Regional Chairman)
§    Paul Cherry  (Hertfordshire CC)
§    Linda Halksworth  (Cambridgeshire CC)
§    Gareth Wilson  (North and Mid Lincolnshire CC)

Others:
§    Jackie Abbot – Wessex  point to point organiser.
§    David Osborne – vital member of the Northants committee.
§    Mike Squibb – New Forest hunt campaigner and integral volunteer in the region.
§    John Lester – has played a central role in the promotion of coursing and vital volunteer in the area.
§    Annie Rogers –regional recruiter for Wessex and South West retiring this year.