Countryside Alliance - love the countryside

Andy Cox, Gamekeeper and estate manager, 30.

For many people the best perk of their job is receiving paid holidays, but for Andy Cox, who has taken four weeks holiday over four years, work is his vacation. Having grown up in rural West Sussex, Andy was exposed at an early age to farming and countryside pursuits through helping at his neighbouring dairy farm and beating on a local shoot. Unlike many of his peers who were more interested in computers than the great outdoors, Andy was absorbing as much country experience as possible, milking cows, rearing game-birds and learning how to shoot. It was this environment and his father’s encouragement to follow his passion that made Andrew determined to make his future in the countryside as a gamekeeper.

Andy formalised his gamekeeping training at Brinsbury College in Pulborough, West Sussex and graduated with three nationally recognised qualifications in gamekeeping and countryside management. Gamekeeping has allowed Andy to travel across the UK where he has worked on shooting estates in Ayrshire, Carmarthen and Somerset. However, he returned to West Sussex to manage the Bowsyers Court estate after being headhunted for position. ”A lot of gamekeeping work comes through word of mouth. I’ve managed estates as large as 8 000 acres and produced good results, so I was more than qualified to take on a 500 acre estate of ancient woodland and river courses.” But unlike many gamekeepers who walk into established shoots Andy began this one from scratch.

After four years of arduous habitat management work the estate now operates a mixed game shoot one day a week throughout the season. But getting this shoot off the ground and working as a gamekeeper is not a job for the faint-hearted as Andy explains, “At the busiest times I can be out for 13 hours a day. Holidays are few and far between, but I spend my hours in the great outdoors so I don’t feel like I need a holiday. It would be totally different if I worked in an office.” However for Andrew successful shooting days make it all worthwhile. “There’s nothing nicer than seeing the boss enjoy himself on a good day. I feel very proud to be the driving force behind a great day.”

Autumn is Andy’s favourite time of year, not only are the leaves changing colour and the crisp mornings setting in, but it is the start of the partridge and pheasant season and a time when he can relax a little. “Although I’m busy running the shoot I get time to wander the estate. As a result of the river and habitat management work I’ve done we now have kingfishers and water voles and it’s a privilege to catch a glimpse of them.” It also seems that other wildlife is benefiting from shooting in the local area. “On a Saturday night during the season the Cricketers Arms at Wisbrough Green is packed with beaters, gamekeepers and shooting clients. It’s great to be able to socialise with locals and workers from neighbouring estates – I know the landlord values the revenue in the winter.”

The beauty of the South Downs and surrounding countryside is what brought Andy back to his local area but he worries about its future. “I’d never work in a city, it would be like caging a tiger, but staying is not an option for many young people who don’t get houses with the job and can’t afford to buy in the area.” Andrew also believes the social pressures on young people to aspire to a materialistic urban way of life is fuelling youth exodus. “Until there is more investment in rural enterprise young people will continue to see their future in the city, which is sad because they’re missing out on a relaxed and rewarding way of life.” However Andy remains positive about his future and looks forward the sound of frost underfoot and pheasants over head.

Mark Gilchrist, Game chef, 27.

Mark is something of a rarity in the culinary world, although adept at cooking with many ingredients, there is one item he now specialises in – game. Growing up in rural Kent he was exposed at an early age to the bounty of products available in the area and the ways of harvesting them, shooting being one such method. His shooting career started when he learned to shoot with his father, aged just seven. While he enjoyed rural life he’s taken an exciting and unconventional journey realising that he could make a good living from the fat of land as a game chef.

After graduating with a science degree from Durham University, Mark left the UK for the French Alps. It was here that he got a real taste for cooking and on returning to England took up a position managing a pub in rural Kent. “Here I added to the cooking skills I’d learnt in France by watching the chefs’ at work. But I also learnt valuable customer service skills managing the front of house.” In addition to running the pub Mark also contacted his local abattoir to learn about meat processing and butchery. “As a scientist I was interested in the technical aspects of meat and butchery. I think it helps you understand it better as an ingredient and enables you to cook it well.” With this self-taught skill base and new confidence Mark decided he wanted to start his own specialist venture.

Game for Everything, Mark’s food and catering business based at a commercial kitchen in Cranbrook, Kent, was born in 2005 and continues to go from strength to strength. “I started the business making game pies and selling them at farmers markets. I’m now cooking preserves, catering at weddings and music festivals and travelling the UK and Europe doing cookery demonstrations.” Using only local produce and local labour, the success of his business was recognised when it was awarded the ‘Most Promising Start-up’ at the Kent Foundation business awards. Mark has also been nominated by the Institute of Directors as South East Director of the year. Success doesn’t come easy though and most mornings Mark is up at 5am processing meat, making pastry and sauces and getting his mail orders out the door. But the early mornings don’t faze him, “Every day is different which is always exciting. I also have a great view from my kitchen window and see all sorts of wildlife which gives me a buzz when I’m still waking up.”

In addition to his core work at Game for Everything Mark also writes extensively on game and is passionate about dispelling some of the myths surrounding game. “You don’t have to hang it for days on end and soak it in marinades. It has its own flavour and should be cooked with simple ingredients.” Although the demand for game has grown Mark still gets frustrated that it’s sometimes given the back seat when compared to conventional meats. “When people go to a butcher and find game’s not on display they forget about it as an option. Don’t. Ask your butcher to order it in because it’s healthy, sustainable and delicious.” Mark’s job satisfaction comes from changing people’s perceptions of the meat. “A year ago if I offered people pigeon they’d reject it, now those same people are tripping over themselves to get it – it makes the hard graft worth it.”

Mark is a role model for budding young rural entrepreneurs but feels not enough is done to encourage them to stay in the countryside. “Rural firms need to market themselves to young people and make employment an appealing option, but this needs to be matched by government support to allow them to do so.” And he’s not following his peers for city wages, “I’m not being part of the herd, I want to contribute to the local economy and know I’ve tried my hardest to keep the countryside productive.” With the start of the season underway, Mark and his team are looking forward to turning the glut of local produce into epicurean delights.

Vicki Richardson, 31, loader and teacher.

For many people multi-tasking causes pulses to race and stress levels to increase but it’s all in a day’s work for Vicki Richardson – a countryside jack of all trades. Being born and bred in the rural village of Stenying, West Sussex, Vicki has always been involved in countryside activities but found it very hard to decide what career she wanted to pursue. The diversity of opportunity that the countryside offers and her passion for the rural way of life led her to work as a self-employed loader, beater, land management contractor and tutor of practical countryside management skills.

Vicki completed a national diploma in countryside management at Brinsbury College, West Sussex and went on to teach forestry at the college. It was here, as a student, that she got her first taste for shooting. She said, “The students on the gamekeeping course were having so much fun as beaters on the local shoot that I wanted to see what I was missing out on.” This introduction inspired her to undertake an accredited course in loading [handling and loading ammunition simultaneously and safely for shooters] where she met like-minded girls who began a small business that Vicki now works part time for - Lady Loaders.

The Lady Loaders are a group of 10 to 12 professionally qualified loaders and shotgun coaches who work for prestigious shooting estates across Wiltshire and Sussex and charity clay pigeon events. They all live in the South East and during the shooting season they’re out at least once a week servicing large local shoots. For Vicki this work is an important supplementary income. She said: “During the winter months’ the agricultural contractor work goes quiet, people don’t need habitat management work done, so working as a loader is an important income stream for me in addition to my teaching wages.”

In an industry which can be a little macho at times the Lady Loader’s have been well received. “We’re professionals and highly proficient and once the shooters see this we always get the respect we deserve and receive very positive feedback.” The ladies reputation is growing through word of mouth and they hope that in a few years the business allows them to work at different shoots across the country. For some people standing next to the action would be frustrating, but for Vicki her job satisfaction comes from making sure the next gun is safely loaded and ready to go. “I really enjoy helping the shooters perform well and the responsibility of keeping the shoot safe. It feels like a team effort and I also get to handle some exquisite shotguns which is quite a nice perk.”

Vicki is a livewire of enthusiasm but has concerns about the countryside. “The number of young people entering land-based courses continues to fall and I do worry about the future of rural areas when so few seem interested in a countryside career.” She believes that more needs to be done to showcase the diversity of jobs available and the economic potential of rural areas. She said: “Schools need to provide positive advice on countryside jobs and how to start and run small businesses. Such advice makes the task feel less daunting and could encourage them to consider rural jobs.” However with the shooting season well under way, Vicki is in good spirits and looks forward to bright frosty mornings on the shooting line.