It’s a family affair for good countryside practice

Three generations of a Hertfordshire family have shown their passion for the countryside by passing the same conservation exam in short succession. Terry Humber encouraged both his son and grandson to join him in taking the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) Accredited Game Shot test to prove they were using the countryside responsibly.

The test is run by the GWCT, a national conservation charity which turns scientific research into practical advice, to teach the thousands of people who shoot, hunt or control pest species in Britain to know the law and understand their role as responsible users of the countryside.

Terry, a Stevenage-based retired master baker, is a recognisable face working at the major shooting schools in the South East and Home Counties and has always encouraged his family to respect their surroundings and the wildlife that lives in it. He shoots on a syndicate at Saffron Waldon, where this year for the first time he will be joined by both son Steven, a forty-five-year-old graphic designer, and 18-year-old grandson Tim, who is starting his career in farming and gamekeeping after completing a two-year agricultural course at Shuttleworth College.

“We all found the GWCT Accredited Game Shot interesting, informative and useful and have enjoyed success in encouraging other guns to gain the award,” says Terry, 72, a BASC, APSI, CPSA and Guild of Shooting Instructors Qualified Shotgun Coach. “I’d love to know if anyone out there has more than three generations who’ve passed the test”, he adds. This family affair goes even further, as Terry’s brother Keith is also a proud Accredited Shot. Keith has even used his passion for crafting shooting sticks to make each of them their own handcrafted stick as a memento, complete with their badge of honour.

The accreditation, launched in 2018, has seen almost 9,000 people step up to the challenge, but fewer than 40% of them have passed, showing just what an achievement this is for Terry and his family.

GWCT’s press and publications manager James Swyer said: “This shows how wonderful fieldsports can be, not just for local communities, but for families too. It is in the interests of all those who go shooting to help prevent poor practice overshadowing the great conservation work done by others, a message Terry has passed down the generations. Hopefully, more families can follow suit.”

If Tim is anything to go by, the future of the British countryside is in safe hands. He credits his grandad’s influence and experience, stating how he “hopes that I can use the skills and knowledge I have garnered to help in some small way to put a little back to improve our environment”.

The Accredited Game Shot test is completely free to take and is available online at www.gwctknowledge.com.