Bellamy awards trophy

Shooting Times

March 02, 2012

North Yorkshire grouse keeper has won this year?s prestigious Bellamy Trophy for his work promoting countryside conservation. The prize, now in it second year, is awarded annually by the National Gamekeepers? Organisation (NGO) Educational Trust and leading environmentalist Professor David Bellamy.

Winner George Thompson, headkeeper at Spaunton Moor, near Pickering, said: ?I come from the urban sprawl of Middlesbrough, but I have had a love of the countryside since boyhood.

Luckily for me, I was steered down this path by a farsighted careers teacher. I am determined the public ? both from town and country ? get to hear about the amazing wildlife conservation work done by gamekeepers.

?For the sake of wildlife, it is vital people know the truth about the effectiveness of gamekeeper-driven conservation. It is a lifeline for much of the UK?s flora and fauna ? that?s why I champion it at every opportunity.?

The rest of this article appears in the 29th February issue of Shooting Times.