RAISING THE GAME IN THE FOREST OF BOWLAND

CHARITY ‘TASTE OF GAME’ EVENING

The Forest of Bowland Moorland Group (FoBMG) has been stepping up efforts to showcase the sustainability of wild game meat ahead of Great British Game Week, which takes place across the country from November 25th to December 1st.

A charity ‘Taste of Game’ evening was hosted by FoBMG on Thursday 14th November at the Over Wyresdale Parish Hall, Abbeystead, to highlight the credentials of game meat from hill to plate as well as to raise vital funds for the Samaritans and the Olive Branch.

The event offered a hands-on opportunity to learn how to prepare and cook game meat, with guests sampling their own hand made culinary delights on the night which included grouse, pheasant and partridge.

All attending were given a free game pie, kindly donated and prepared by the chefs from “Wild and Game”.

Demonstrations were conducted by:

  • Chef Harriet MacArthur from Main Course, Lancaster, a family run business which caters for all events, including lunches and picnics for shooting parties out on grouse moors. Main Course prides itself on using fresh locally-sourced game throughout the season. 
  • Simon Whitehead, a professional rabbit controller who demonstrated how to prepare bunny burgers. 
  • Silver Sheldon from Hadrian’s Game made her famous pheasant goujons.

Gamekeepers were also in attendance to help out with the game preparation demonstrations.

Just under £4,000 was made on the night with all proceeds going to the Samaritans and the Olive Branch, a voluntary group in Lancaster that was established in 2004 serving free meals to the homeless.

Helen Foster, coordinator of the Forest of Bowland Moorland Group, said: “We are delighted that our charity Taste of Game evening was such a success and it is heartening to know that we have so much community support. Combining a food event with a charity fund raiser was a great opportunity to break down the barriers that are associated with cooking wild game and encourage more people to enjoy such delicious and healthy locally sourced meat.

“Our group has been greatly impressed by the efforts of the Olive Branch and the Samaritans and we were compelled to support their cause by raising funds for their outstanding work.”

Leslie Mann from the Olive Branch, Lancaster, said: “This very kind-hearted donation received from the Forest of Bowland Moorland Group has been absolutely fantastic and it greatly contributes towards our charity offering, allowing us to provide a vital lifeline for those in need.

Game is a lean, nutritious, seasonal and versatile food and all of the locally sourced produce on the night was very kindly donated by Dent’s Game Dealers, the chefs and Abbeystead Estate who were supporting the event.