The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation (NGO) has assumed responsibility for the running of the long service award made to gamekeepers.
The award was presented for many years by the CLA at its Game Fair and, to mark the change, it will now be renamed The NGO Long Service Award. Lindsay Waddell, the Chairman of the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation, said: “The long service award is important to keepers, and the NGO thought it ought to pick up the baton following the announcement that the CLA will no longer run the annual CLA Game Fair. We contacted the CLA and following friendly discussions, the CLA kindly gave us its blessing to take the award forward into a new era. This is an exciting departure for the NGO for which I would like to thank the CLA, as I must for its careful stewardship of an award that is much-cherished by keepers. CLA Vice President Tim Breitmeyer said: “It is eminently sensible to hand on the mantle of this worthy award to the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation, which should continue to run it going forward as it sees fit. It has given the CLA great pleasure to have been able to recognise the commitment and dedication of so many wonderful gamekeepers. I am all for continuing with the recognition of such excellence in our industry.”