Creating lifelong memories

Not every child we introduce to shooting will take up the activity now or in later life. However, that memory will linger long, and many of the young people we teach will carry forward a positive understanding of the role of shooting in land and wildlife management in their formative years. And for some, that may resonate in their influence as decision-makers in government. 

As a child, the prime minister Sir Keir Starmer would have been aware of the gamekeeping links in his family history. In 1977, when Sir Keir was 16, his grandfather Herbert Starmer was interviewed by a local history group, the Bourne Society, who published his memories of rural life growing up on a shooting estate. Herbert’s father and seven uncles were all gamekeepers. 

In 2011, the foreign secretary David Lammy wrote about his father’s work as a taxidermist in the 1970s, the craftmanship involved, and his father’s smile when satisfied customers left with their works of art. No doubt many of these clients would have been taking home mounts of small and large game shot in the UK and overseas. Poignantly, Mr Lammy recalls his father struggling to make a living as recession and “a new agenda of animal rights, wildlife protection and licensing and export controls” took effect. 

Core memories are a powerful influence, which brings me to some of the sights and sounds of the countryside and other experiences that BASC has recently helped provide for children at events across the UK. 

Let’s Learn Moor week was a huge hit in July with 2,600 children from 75 primary schools and 53 partner organisations involved (News, 17 July). The event is now in its seventh year and it would not be possible without the dedicated involvement of regional moorland groups and estates across the north of England. 

This year children met with beekeepers, businesses, emergency services, farmers, gamekeepers, gundog trainers, shepherds and wildlife trusts, all of whom talked about the importance of moorland to them and their livelihoods. 

In Scotland, BASC has contributed £15,000 of sponsorship from its Legacy Fund to Estates that Educate, the award-winning initiative run by Scotland’s Regional Moorland Groups. The donation helped provide 2,000 children from the Angus, Grampian and Tayside regions of Scotland with hands-on experience from gamekeepers, foresters and shepherds. 

This included identification of Scottish flora and fauna and workshops in which children learned more about where their food comes from, and the benefits of eating local, sustainable produce. 

Also thanks to the Legacy Fund, we attended the All-Wales Scout Camp 2024 teaching 1,400 youngsters about the importance of conservation and biodiversity. A key focus was bird box building and, in only two days, the BASC Wales team helped scouts make 750 bird boxes. 

Outside the bubble 

Scouts have taken boxes home to be erected in gardens and Scout halls across Wales. That means BASC-branded bird boxes will be appearing in places way outside our bubble and will be conversation starters for many a child and adult for years to come as to what the BASC branding on that box means and stands for. 

In Northern Ireland, children took part in a BASC Young Shots day, experiencing clay shooting, airgunning and a presentation from Ulster Wildlife Trust on barn owl and red squirrel conservation. The event took place at Carnview Farms clay ground complex, supported by BASC shotgun coaches and other volunteers and sponsored by Jamison’s Garage. Every child went home with a BASC-branded bird box and duck nesting tubes and barn owl boxes were also built on the day. 

These are only a few examples of recent events large and small for young people and BASC is involved with many more throughout the year. Check out your country/regional BASC Facebook page or the BASC events section on our website to find out more. Perhaps you could help with a free guided walk on land you manage, whether for a local school or general public. Let me know how you get on.