Ely & District Wildfowlers’ Association receives £25,000 WHT loan to buy land

The Ely & District Wildfowlers’ Association has received a £25,000 loan from the Wildlife Habitat Trust (WHT). The loan is being used by the club to purchase 5.03 acres of land at Fen Drayton in Cambridgeshire.

David Wilcox, treasurer for Ely & District Wildfowlers, said: “What a thoroughly painless and efficient process the application process was and the club are most grateful for the help of Paul Williamson, BASC’s rural land development manager, in guiding us and to the WHT trustees in reviewing the application so quickly. This will be our third land purchase using finance from the WHT.”

Tim Russell, secretary of the WHT, said: “The WHT aims to help wildfowling clubs buy land. When a club comes back for a third loan it shows how important land ownership is and how well the WHT works for wildfowlers.”

Each year the WHT commissions a unique new piece of wildlife art from a recognised artist. This is also available in the form of a stamp sold at £5. Buying this helps to contribute to WHT funds. This year's stamp will be launched on the BASC stand at the CLA game fair, Ragley Hall, Alcester, Warwickshire, on Friday 23rd July at 11.30am.

The trustees welcome any further applications via www.wht.org.uk or by calling 01244 573024

For more information please contact the BASC press office on 01244 573031

Wildlife Habitat Trust’s 2009 Stamp will be launched on 24th July at the CLA Game Fair, Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire

This year’s stamp artwork by Peter Partington depicts “White-fronted Geese on the Severn’

Martin Spray, Chief Executive of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust will launch the Wildlife Habitat Trust’s 2009 conservation stamp on the WHT area of the BASC stand on Friday 24th July. This stamp is the nineteenth in the series and features ‘White-fronted Geese on the Severn’ by Peter Partington, a famous wildlife artist who had been commissioned by the Wildlife Habitat Trust to produce this year’s original artwork.

Visitors to the WHT stand will be able to purchase stamps, badges and limited edition prints. The annual original art exhibition will also be on stand giving the opportunity for visitors to enjoy and purchase original artwork by the current stamp artist Peter Partington and Julian Novorol a previous stamp artist. Artwork by other stamp artists will also be available.

Signed copies of Alan Jarrett’s new book “A Wildfowling Life” and Paul Walkden’s new book “The Wild Geese of the Newgrounds” – a tribute to Sir Peter Scott, (appropriately on the Severn) will be available on the stand. Both Alan and Paul will be donating money from the sale of their books to the WHT.