December - Dec 18, 2024

There are some wonderful sunrises and sunsets at this time of year; always the most inspiring start to the day.

Shoot days and stalking goes on whilst the grouse season and salmon fishing has completed for 2024. The Gamekeepers’ Welfare Trust like many of you concentrates on the future and how to improve but looking back on the year, appreciating the highs and learning from the lows is how we progress and develop as individuals, in our health and our resilience, in the work place, and in our relationships at home and in our communities.
Reviewing 2024 is a lesson in humility; there are so many people, groups and organisations to thank, for their generosity, for their huge efforts in supporting the Gamekeepers’ Welfare Trust and we thank each and every one. Highlighting a few is difficult because there is a risk of missing those who are not individually mentioned but please know we appreciate every single penny and every single effort however large or small.
The year has not been without its challenges and change seems to have been round every corner. However, working together has never been so important whether this is from keepers on estates who gather to tackle wildfires, Moorland groups sending out food parcels, or organisations to highlight injustice and mitigate or change mindsets.
Our youth are again showing us the way through the SGA Youth Group in Scotland, through the Moorland Groups in Let’s Learn Moor, and Estates that Educate, in schools, and we are as proud as punch of the lads who recently supported GWT through their presentations at school winning a substantial cash prize at Golspie High School. We are also immensely proud of Aulie who won the Young Gamekeeper of the Year senior, and the Cox family: Arthur, Beanie and Amber who won the Young Gamekeeper of the Year junior.
We have even more celebrations to follow with another young person in the New Year. We also meet students in colleges throughout the country, learning new as well as traditional methods of conservation. Inspiration in abundance.
All examples of how we need to keep our traditions, our future secure but also to treasure, to respect those who have given their careers and their lives for us and there is no greater example of this than the D day celebrations and Remembrance Sunday. Keepers and Stalkers all over the country gathered to remember at memorials and we must never forget.
Health and Housing have been at the forefront of our work this year with the appointment of Gillian and expansion of our fantastic nurses. We intend this to continue to grow and hope to see many of you for your annual check ups around the country. Do let us know if you would like us to visit your college, your game fair or estate or shoot – we would be delighted to come along. Similarly for the Mental Health awareness courses – more important than ever to keep us happy and healthy in 2025 and beyond.
Thank you all and finally please keep checking in with your mates.