Rhug was delighted to have been presented with a Purdey Highly Commended Award last night (Thursday, 22nd November) by the Duke of Wellington. Rhug’s Head Game Keeper, Dave Pooler, was also given a Special Commendation Purdey Award.
The Purdey Awards have been held annually since 1999 and seek to promote a wider appreciation of the outstanding game and habitat conservation work carried out throughout the United Kingdom and to give well-deserved recognition and reward to the best.
The Rhug Estate was Highly Commended in recognition of the imaginative use of planting and crop management which has created corridors of cover that encourage the movement of game across the land. Further recognition was also given for the success the Estate has had in promoting the consumption of all varieties of shot game both nationally and internationally.
Dave Pooler, Rhug’s Head Game Keeper, was given a Special Commendation Purdey Award in recognition of his dedication to the sport of shooting and his passionate commitment to his role as Head Keeper, working alongside an organic farming enterprise.
Lord Newborough, Owner of Rhug Estate said, “Since the farm went organic many acres of valuable habitat have been fenced off. Miles of river corridor have been protected by fencing, new hedgerows and green lanes have been created and thousands of trees have been planted to regenerate the rich tapestry of the landscape on the Estate. Both Awards are recognition of all the hard work and passion everyone puts in throughout the year. A special congratulations to Dave Pooler on his special commendation.”
Rhug produces game and venison both for sale in the on-site Farm Shop, near Corwen, north Wales and wholesale to restaurants in London and abroad. Rhug was the first UK game supplier in Hong Kong. The Estate also promotes game reared and shot on the Estate in the Bistro so customers can enjoy it perfectly cooked.
Lord Newborough said:
“The conservation work carried out on the Estate is something I am extremely passionate about and hold very dear to my heart. This is not something we brag about but these Awards mean we are going in the right direction for sustaining the land on the Estate for future generations. In recent years Alun Jones from the Cynwyd shoot has also been particularly involved in conservation work with the management of the moorland for the benefit of ground-nesting birds, an area which the Estate is looking to focus more on in the future.”
