Conservation charity director aims to bridge gap between urban and rural

The Wales director of a conservation charity is on a mission to bring urban and rural communities closer together through better education and communication about country pursuits and game management.

Sue Evans, from the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust Cymru (GWCT), believes the Welsh countryside has so much to celebrate and share with people who don’t fully understand the country way of life.

To foster improved relationships across different groups and to promote the benefits of country pursuits and conservation to a wider audience, the GWCT has teamed up with Stable Events Ltd to organise the first GWCT Welsh Game Fair – https://www.welshgamefair.org/ .

The three-day event will be held at the famous Vaynol Estate, near Bangor from September 9-11. Stable Events Ltd also organises The Game Fair at Ragley Hall, Warwickshire and The Scottish Game Fair at Scone Palace, Perthshire.

Sue, a Welsh speaker who was bought up on the family farm on Anglesey, said of the GWCT Welsh Game Fair: “This is a truly exciting event for the Welsh countryside and the people who live and work in it.

“There is a divide between rural and urban and this is an opportunity to bring the two sides together. We want to welcome people in to understand more about rural communities and our different way of life.

“The GWCT Welsh Game Fair will be a fantastic shop window for the Welsh countryside and promote the unique culture and heritage of Wales. It will also bring together representatives from a range of conservation, farming, field sports and fishing bodies for debates on Welsh rural issues.

“The enthusiasm and support around the event are wonderful and I’m chuffed to bits that it’s all coming together at just the right time.

“I can’t wait to see visitors exploring the beautiful Vaynol Estate with Snowdonia as a backdrop for showcasing the best of what the countryside has to offer. We hope to attract 20,000 visitors over three days for our first event.”

Seeking to support a thriving countryside rich in game and other wildlife, the GWCT uses science to promote game and wildlife management as an essential part of nature conservation.

As a research based conservation charity, GWCT is calling on the Government to adopt sound science and evidence as the basis for future regulation and future environmental policies.

“We became very familiar with the need to follow the science when dealing with the recent COVID epidemic and it is just as important to follow the science if we are to succeed in reversing biodiversity decline,” added Sue.

Fishing, clay shooting, gundogs, game cookery, falconry, horses and hounds, as well as rural crafts, food and drink will feature at the event, which is expected to attract people passionate about the countryside, country pursuits and conservation.

Leading Welsh celebrity chef and author Bryn Williams, a farmer’s son from Denbigh, will be creating a bespoke menu for guests in a VIP Enclosure Restaurant and taking part in live, open-air cooking demonstrations throughout the weekend.

Visitors can look forward to a wide range of attractions, displays, live debates, shopping at hundreds of trade stands and family entertainment, all with a countryside theme.

To book tickets, visit https://stableevents.yourticketpurchase.com/p/welshfair .