Countryside Alliance.

Moonraker68

Well-Known Member
Although my membership of the Countryside Alliance lapsed about 5 years ago, I've just received an email from them introducing the new chief executive Barney White-Spunner. One of the reasons for me leaving the CA was that I thought they were confirming the image of countrysports being for the landed gentry only; Lord Mancroft had been appointed head of the Campaign for Hunting, and Sir Edward Dashwood as Head of the Campaign for Shooting. They were probably well qualified to fulfill their roles, but perhaps giving high profile positions to aristocrats isn't the best policy to improve the public image of hunting/shooting/fishing? BASC may not be perfect, but it's spokesmen come across as being down to earth when interviewed on the tv or radio. I wish BWS well, and hope that the CA becomes more representative of the majority of those involved in Country Sports, but an ex-Household Cavalry officer with a double-barrelled name might just conform to the stereotype portrayed by the media and the antis?
 
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Moonraker68

I know what you mean.

Personally I worry about fieldsports in general. Too many times the spokespeople have alienated the audience before they even open their mouths. We worry about the lack of youngsters coming into fieldsports, but I don't think in general we do a good job of encouraging them to take part. How can a teenager today relate to the dress, the language and the customs and traditions of some of our fieldsports?

What I would say in the CA's defence is that (a) Alice Bernard was neither double-barreled nor a crusty, tweed-wearing, landowner, and, (b) as well as having a long association with fieldsports and a distinguished military career, Barney White-Spunner appears to be eminently capable of doing the role.

willie_gunn
 
Probably best to judge Barney White-Spunner by his actions rather than by any class based prejudice over his name
 
Tim, fair comment, but it's the antis who have the class based prejudices and I wonder if some aspects of the CA perpetuate the myth that we're either toffs or their lackeys. It was a shame that Alice Barnard left so soon, as I think she would have been a good antidote to the such accusations.
 
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Lucky to have him, I'd say

Commanding Officer of the Household Cavalry in 1996 and deployed to Bosnia.
Colonel in 1998
Deputy Director of Defence Policy at NATO
Given command of the Kabul Multinational Brigade in 2002
Chief of Joint Force Operations for the national contingent in the Middle East in 2003.
Chief of Staff at Land Command in 2005
General Officer Commanding 3rd (UK) Mechanised Division in 2007
General Officer Commanding Multinational Division (South East) in Iraq in 2008
Commander of the Field Army in 2009.
Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2002
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in 2011
Retired from the British Army in December 2011

Started writing for The Field in 1992.
Became ditor of Baily's Hunting Directory in 1994.
Author of a history of the Horse Guards.

 
Lucky to have him, I'd say

Commanding Officer of the Household Cavalry in 1996 and deployed to Bosnia.
Colonel in 1998
Deputy Director of Defence Policy at NATO
Given command of the Kabul Multinational Brigade in 2002
Chief of Joint Force Operations for the national contingent in the Middle East in 2003.
Chief of Staff at Land Command in 2005
General Officer Commanding 3rd (UK) Mechanised Division in 2007
General Officer Commanding Multinational Division (South East) in Iraq in 2008
Commander of the Field Army in 2009.
Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2002
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in 2011
Retired from the British Army in December 2011

Started writing for The Field in 1992.
Became ditor of Baily's Hunting Directory in 1994.
Author of a history of the Horse Guards.

So, used to having everything done for him at the drop of a hat I'd say and never stayed in a hotel less than five star with first class travel and expences thrown in and I bet nobody calls him Barney :lol:
 
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