BASC: City children given a taste of the countryside

Thursday, 13 October 2011 3:07 PM

Thousands of children from London were given a taste of the countryside at an event attended by the UK's largest shooting organisation, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC).

Children attending a Countryside Live event in Greater London watched presentations by BASC staff members and volunteers on the importance of shooting to the countryside, conservation, the food chain and airgun safety.

They were offered a taste of game with venison burgers cooked by chef James Dainton.

More than 3,000 children of primary school age attended the event which was co-hosted at the Lee Valley Regional Park in Leyton by The Countryside Foundation for Education (CFE) and Lee Valley Park.

Peter Marshall, BASC’s director of shooting standards, said: "This event provides a wonderful opportunity to introduce city children to aspects of the countryside that they may otherwise never have experienced. We hope that we have helped to sow the seeds of a long-term interest in the countryside in these children."

Gary Richardson, chief executive of the CFE, said: “For 25 years the CFE have provided children, parents and teachers with their first introduction to the countryside. Integral to the success of our activities has been working with the support of organisations like BASC.

"BASC invests a huge amount of time, money and expertise to deliver a passionate and balanced view about the countryside to thousands of urban children from a diverse range of ages and cultures, many of whom live in the most challenging economic circumstances.
Without BASC’s great support we could not have the impact we do on the coming generations.”

The two day event was followed by a countryside weekend open to the public which an estimated 6,000 people attended.

The aim of both events was to provide an experience of countryside life.

ENDS

Notes to editors - A photograph is available to download from http://basc.thirdlight.com
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