Country Land and Business Association (CLA) search for best in gamekeeping (From Hereford Times)

Country Land and Business Association (CLA) search for best in gamekeeping

8:00am Friday 5th March 2010 in

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GAMEKEEPERS and riverkeepers keep a low profile and are rarely recognised for the work they do in maintaining a beautiful countryside.

Now the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) wants to do something about it by presenting many of them with long service awards.

This will take place at the CLA Game Fair, the world’s largest countryside event which takes place at Ragley Hall, near Alcester, Warwickshire from Friday, July 23, to Sunday, July 25.

CLA Game Fair director David Hough said: “In areas where wildlife is abundant, where habitat is healthy and diverse and where nature truly is in balance, the one consistant factor is a good gamekeeper. We want to track down the longest serving members of this distinguished profession and say a sincere thank you for looking after our countryside,’’.

West Midlands director Caroline Bedell said few people saw the “the quiet men and women’’ who spend long and often solitary hours at their labour.

“These awards are an opportunity to recognise their efforts over the years,’’ she said.

To qualify, gamekeepers must have achieved at least 40 years on not more than five estates, while a riverkeeper must have dedicated at least 25 years to looking after the same river system.

They must be nominated by employers and this can be done by emailing gamefair@cla.org.uk.

For more details on the fair, visit gamefair.co.uk.