City dinner raises £200,384 for GWCT research

A black-tie dinner at Drapers’ Hall has raised £200,384 for the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, with the City of London’s insurance and finance houses turning out in strength on Tuesday, 13 October. The GWCT’s chairman told guests the money lands at a critical moment, with the Government’s game shooting review open until 1 November.

The dinner brought senior figures from the City’s financial and insurance sectors together in support of the trust’s scientific research, with speeches from Stephen Catlin, who chaired the organising committee, and GWCT chairman Jeremy Finnis. Rob Fenwick of E.J. Churchill hosted a live auction alongside a silent auction and raffle.

Why does the GWCT say the timing matters?

“At a time when fieldsports and countryside pursuits are being scrutinised at government level, with Defra calling on the industry to demonstrate gamebird releasing’s positive impact on nature and wildlife through its Call for Evidence, the support shown here this evening shows how important this is to so many of us,” Mr Finnis said, referring to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ review.

“Robust science and data are key to safeguarding the future of British fieldsports. With your support we can gather, analyse and communicate the scientific evidence that demonstrates the benefits responsible and sustainable game management can deliver for wildlife and the wider countryside.” He pointed guests to the trust’s Game for Nature campaign, which aims to ensure decisions about gamebird management are guided by evidence rather than assumption.

Who stood behind the evening?

“The GWCT’s work is grounded in rigorous peer-reviewed scientific research and practical conservation, providing the evidence needed to make a lasting difference for wildlife and the landscapes we value,” said Mr Catlin. “The generosity shown during the evening reflects the deep commitment of so many people in the City to the future of our countryside.”

Tables were hosted by businesses including Aon, Acrisure and Helios, the evening’s principal sponsors, with Lincolnshire Game providing the game meat and an organising committee drawn from across the Square Mile that included Simon Bright, Lucy Gore Langton, Andrew Knott, Rory O’Brien, Peter Rigby, Alistair Troughton and Bertie Troughton. The trust employs more than 60 post-doctoral scientists and research staff, and has studied Britain’s game and wildlife since the 1930s.

What happens next

The funds go to the trust’s research programme, from wader recovery to gamebird management science, and its Game for Nature campaign continues to gather evidence for submission to the Government’s review before the 1 November deadline.