THE PURDEY AWARDS FOR GAME AND CONSERVATION

Transcription

1 THE PURDEY AWARDS FOR GAME AND CONSERVATION

2 ENTRY FORM OBJECTIVES & JUDGING CRITERIA The Purdey Awards have been held annually since 1999 to promote a wider understanding of the conservation benefits conferred on the countryside by shooting and game management, and to give recognition to those who work in this field. The Awards, through the publicity they generate, are intended to show how effort and investment put into game conservation benefits a far wider range of wildlife than just gamebirds, as well as enhancing the landscape for everyone. The Purdey Awards are open to any type or size of shoot anywhere within the United Kingdom. Entries may be submitted by the owner, the keeper, or a syndicate, farm, estate, club, or wildfowling association. To be eligible to enter you don t need to own a stately home or a grouse moor, but having one or both won t disqualify you either! Entries are welcomed from all types of game bird shoots, whether all wild, partly wild, or all reared and released. Ideally you will in some way involve your local community in your shoot, perhaps by employing beaters or pickers up, or showing local schools or clubs why you enjoy undertaking this work, and how it helps the countryside. Is your project good PR for shooting and conservation? We judge entries purely on their merit, and allow for different terrain and types and sizes of shoot. We look for clear vision, sound execution and genuine results, and always take into consideration the available resources, so anyone can win, irrespective of size or budget. The Purdey Awards are presented each year in London in November, at a ceremony held in Purdey s Long Room. There are cash prizes totaling 12,500 for Gold, Silver, and Bronze Award winners, and Special Awards recognising outstanding individual achievement. Additionally, up to five on site advisory visits from the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust will be awarded each year.

3 3 RULES 1. The competition is open to any individual, group, farm or estate in the UK operating within the Code of Good Shooting Practice and making a contribution to wildlife conservation, biodiversity and landscape amenity via the conservation of game. Former entrants to the Awards, including those shortlisted, are always welcome to re-enter with updated projects, but former prize winners must wait five years before re-entering, and must either show quantifiable onward development from the original entry or cover new ground not included in their previous entry. 2. If possible, please type your answers to the questions and please try not to exceed the specified lengths. All sections should be completed. If your entry is handwritten please use black ink and make sure everything is clearly legible. Maps, photographs, diagrams, game book and vermin records, wildlife surveys and/or predation control records illustrating your project are a great help to judges in understanding your objectives and achievements, and are most welcome. These can be returned after judging on request. If you wish to enter by the requisite forms are available from purdey.awards@purdey.com. Completed entries should be sent to advisory@gwct.org.uk 3. Completed entry forms must arrive at the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust no later than Monday 22 nd May 2018 and the envelopes should be clearly marked PURDEY AWARDS ENTRY c/o DR. MIKE SWAN. 4. Entries will be assessed with the help of the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, then considered by the judging panel in June to agree a short-list of potential winners. All entrants will be notified as to how their entry fared and, for those shortlisted, site visits by up to five judges will be arranged for August or September. 5. All winning entries are publicised by Purdey and may appear in local, national or shooting press, and winners are requested to cooperate with shooting and conservation magazine journalists wishing to feature their entries winners will be announced, and presented with their Awards, at a ceremony in Purdey s Long Room to be held on Thursday, 22 rd November. 7. The judges decision is final. PANEL OF JUDGES The Duke of Wellington (Chairman) Jonathan Kennedy Bertie Hoskyns Abrahall Hamish Macdonald Lockhart David Clark Charles Nodder The Duchess of Devonshire Richard Purdey Malcolm Innes Tim Furbank Jonathan Young William Garfit Jonathan Irby Marcus Janssen Roddy Richmond-Watson

4 4 THE PURDEY AWARDS QUESTIONS Please answer all the questions below in not more than 500 words for each section if you can. Please try to make your answers as helpful as possible; judges need this information to gain a clear understanding of your shoot, the type and scale of the conservation work you are undertaking, and why, and the results that you are achieving. Please remember that you are welcome to append further details and photos please see paragraph 2 of page 3 - Rules PLEASE ANSWER ALL OF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS WHERE POSSIBLE 1. BACKGROUND INFORMATION a) Describe your shoot, its history, and the key objectives of your game conservation work. b) Explain your particular reasons for wanting to undertake this work. c) What additional work have you undertaken to protect and manage other species of bird and wildlife, in addition to game, and how has this improved the biodiversity of the area in question? d) Outline the principal challenges you encountered and how you overcame them. 2. RESOURCES a) Approximately what manpower and man-hours, including your own employees as well as contracted where applicable, and what financial resources (cash or in kind) have you deployed in bringing your conservation project(s) to its present state? b) Did you seek professional advice? If so, at what stage(s) and from whom? c) To what extent, if any, has your conservation work been financed by any grants and/or management schemes? Please supply details. d) What predator control measures are you undertaking, and how do you keep vermin numbers under control? Please supply details. 3. RESULTS a) Tell us how the project has enhanced the quality and enjoyment of your shoot. b) How, if at all, have you promoted within your local community the benefits to biodiversity and the countryside that your shoot and conservation work has made possible? c) Are you in touch with any wildlife or countryside conservation groups about your project? d) What do you do with your shot game? Do you market it yourself as ovenready or with added value, e.g. sausages or frozen casseroles, or in the feather through game dealers?

5 5 INFORMATION ON ENTRANT & SHOOT Name Status (e.g. Owner/Shoot Capt) Address ENTRY FORM Post Code Daytime Tel. No. When was the shoot established? Acreage of shoot Acreage of project How long has your conservation project been running? Number of days shooting per season How many are let days? If birds are released how many? Pheasants Red Legs Grey Partridges Ducks How did you hear about Purdey Awards? e.g. Word of mouth, advertising, press coverage (if so, which magazines)? PROJECT INFORMATION Name of shoot Project title (if applicable) Address of project (if different from entrant) Post Code. Type of terrain

6 6 Type of agriculture Acreage involved Number of staff employed Staff status (full-time, part-time, job titles etc) Any other relevant features? Have you enrolled in any environmental schemes during your project? If so, please name these below. Have you any national designation status on your land? SSSI SAC/SPA AONB National Park Scheduled Ancient Monument Others (please specify) SHOOT OWNER If different from above does, the owner know of your entry? Yes/No Name Address Post Code Daytime Tel. No. JUDGES SITE VISITS Judges will be visiting during July, August and September. Please give two preferable weeks when you would be able to show judges your project. Weeks commencing: 1 2 Visits normally take 3-4 hours. Judges need to go away with a clear understanding of what has been achieved, how the shoot works and what the ongoing plans are.

7 7 DECLARATION To be signed by the entrant (Lead entrant only, if more than one person is entering e.g. owner and keeper, or syndicate, or association) I declare that in completing this entry into the Purdey Awards for Game and Conservation, I, and to the best of my knowledge all the individuals involved in the shoot management and game conservation work described herein, are fully conversant and compliant with the requirements of the Code of Good Shooting Practice and all existing wildlife protection legislation. Full name of the entrant (in block capitals) Signature Date A scanned signature is acceptable if completing the forms on line CONTACT Please return your entry form to: Purdey Awards Assessment The Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust Fordingbridge Hampshire SP6 1EF advisory@gwct.org.uk If you have any queries relating to the entry form, please contact: Purdey Awards James Purdey & Sons Ltd South Audley Street London W1K 2ED purdey.awards@purdey.com DEADLINE FOR ENTRY IS 22 nd May 2018