Rural heroes rewarded

The owner of Berkshire butcher?s Vicars Game, which processes 200,000 pheasants and partridges each season, has spoken of his delight at being recognised at the Countryside Alliance Awards.

Alan Hayward told Shooting Times that since buying Vicars Game in Ashampstead in 1973, he has worked tirelessly to get more game on to the English market.

He said: ?There?s certainly been a huge turnaround in the past few years. Less than half of this country?s game is now exported, whereas beforehand it was over 90 per cent, and demand is still growing.

?I?m very proud we?ve been a part of that. We have strived to maintain quality and service and we?ve never compromised.?

Speaking at a ceremony at the House of Lords, Countryside Alliance (CA) chairman Kate Hoey MP said: ?The rise in popularity of game meat is certainly something the CA is proud to note, and these butchers have been leading the charge, making the most of nature?s harvest.?

The rest of this article appears in the 14th March issue of Shooting Times.

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