BASC launches Women in Shooting stories campaign

BASC has launched a campaign inviting women from across the shooting community to share personal stories of how they came into the sport, in the hope of inspiring more women to take it up. The Women in Shooting campaign, titled “Wherever you are on your journey, your story matters”, was launched on Saturday 25 July at the association’s reception at The Game Fair at Ragley Hall, Warwickshire.

What is the campaign asking women to do?

Guests at the reception were invited to share their experiences online, laying the foundations for a collection of stories reflecting the many different routes into shooting and the impact the sport has on women’s lives.

The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) says the campaign will celebrate the growing number of women taking part, increase engagement within its Women in Shooting community and shine a spotlight on women’s experiences across the disciplines. Around the reception, guests could read the stories of three women who work closely with the association, each showing a different way into the sport.

Why is BASC launching it now?

BASC describes Women in Shooting as the largest female shooting community in the UK, and says it has broken its membership record again this year, with rising participation in events and training across the country.

Speaking at the launch, BASC’s Lois Pettitt said: “We’re incredibly proud to have created the largest female shooting community in the UK, and this year we’ve broken our membership record once again.” She added: “Everyone has their own unique story and we’d love to hear yours.”

BASC vice chair Claire Sadler said: “For many years, women were seen as a bit of an exception in shooting. Today, we’re one of the fastest growing parts of our community on a global scale. We’re competitors, gamekeepers, conservationists, farmers, mothers, mentors and leaders. We’re not asking for a seat at the table anymore, we’re helping to build it.”

Who won the Women in Shooting Award?

The reception also saw this year’s BASC Women in Shooting Award presented to Megan Borthwick, head gamekeeper at the Charlton Shoot in Northumberland. She was recognised for her achievements since taking on the shoot in 2025, leading it through a challenging first year and earning praise from Guns and beaters for a professional, efficient and welcoming operation.

She also coordinated a recent BASC Young Shots day, giving young Guns the chance to bag their first driven pheasant or partridge, and has championed female-owned businesses in the sector alongside a field-to-fork approach built on locally sourced game.

What happens next

Women who would like to share their own shooting story can find out how to take part through BASC’s Women in Shooting pages, where the association is gathering the collection. The campaign runs alongside BASC’s programme of Women in Shooting events and training opportunities across the country.