I don’t feel I will be alone in bidding a glad farewell to 2021, this year has been one of the hardest and bittersweet years of my life, and being able to get out shooting & beating, has kept me sane and given me something to focus on.
In April of this year, my amazing mum, Shani, passed away after living with Myeloma; Blood Cancer, since 2015. She was also on Dialysis 3 times a week due to it. Initially, the doctors told her she had 18mths and she would never walk again, to which she replied ‘I don’t think so!’, so if you ever wonder where my stubborn streak comes from…
Mum wasn’t my biggest fan when I started shooting, she felt it would be another passing expensive hobby (I’m guessing she chose to block out the motorbikes, horses and tattoo parts of my life!), but then she started seeing how much I enjoyed the sport, and how many people it opened me up to meet (I think she hoped I’d meet a nice country gent!), it also gave me and my dad something to bond over and spend time together doing; which as mums condition declined, has helped us both massively. I also don’t doubt she knew about the various guns we ‘smuggled’ into the house without her knowing about them…
I had volunteered to host The Bun Club days at Sporting Targets before mum passed away. My best friend, who I will and do ‘affectionally’ call ‘Mellors’ (all will be explained) persuaded me to host these days when it came clear that they needed a new host for their up and coming days this year, and he promised me it would all be ok and it would be easy…famous last words! But those days have actually got me through this year, and so has the support from him,the people involved in Bun Club and some of the ladies I have met on them.
So I feel an open and heartfelt thank you needs to be written and shared from me, to acknowledge those who have got me through this year when I needed good friends and people around the most, and also a nod to the sport that I have come to love and encourage others to get involved in.
* ‘Mellors’- his nickname came about as he calls me ‘Lady C’ after Lady Chatterley (yes, THAT book/lady!) as when our paths started to cross more and more last year during lockdown, he thought I was ‘posh’ & quite frankly he made me nervous (we won’t bring up the bush/tree incident!) , and even now I have a healthy dose of respect for him, even if I do drive him up the wall and we have our fall outs…and unlike the 2 characters in the book, we will never be more than just friends, but his friendship and promise that he will always be there for me when I need him, have stood true; even when I’ve put that to the test (initial phone calls of ‘I need you’ were when I crashed my car & then hit a muntjac 2 weeks later!).
It was him who was there for me when we were given mums final diagnosis in February, he sat and held me as I went through every emotion possible and back in the space of 10minutes, who held my hand in the hallway when the hearse arrived on the day of the funeral & it was him who came back that night to check on me and my dad. He also persuaded me to keep going with the bun club days and stop doubting my ability to shoot; I just need to LISTEN more & stop being stubborn and doing things my way, as 9/10 times, he is right with what he tells me…although I’m still not sorry for shutting your fingers in my gun on that SIM day! So thank you ’Mellors’ for being there this year for me, and my dad and for encouraging me to take on Bun Club days.
*Victoria, aka VKL, and Maxine, owner & Manger of The S&CBC (Bun Club)- thank you for believing in me, supporting me, listening to me and watching me flourish running these days for you at Sporting Targets. What started out with only 8 ladies on the first ever one I hosted, has ended with 57 ladies on last one and over £2k raised for charity. You’ve both tweaked things behind the scenes for me when I’ve had ideas, dealt with countless emails and messages from me and never let me give in & up when I started to doubt myself and my ability to run these days!
These days have given me something to focus on and work through my grief of losing my mum, they have made me stronger, more determined and fulfilled personal goals I never thought I would achieve.
*Steve, my pigeon shooter mentor and close friend. We might not have been able to get out on crop protection this year, but you encouraged me to put pen to paper instead & follow your lead in writing articles, which I have enjoyed and the feedback I have had, has really surprised me, as I don’t feel what I write is that good! But seems people disagree. You also provide a little place of calm and kindness, where I can come to hide away from the world for a few hours and just drink tea, relax and get my thoughts in order.
*Rob, my oh so patient shooting instructor and friend, its only taken you nearly 3yrs of trying to get me to shoot skeet and crossers without having a meltdown; and even now you get ‘the face’ . I would not be where I am with my shooting & writing if it wasn’t for you. You sussed me out and how I think on our first ever meeting back on my first ever Bun Clun day in January 2019, and I’ve been trying to break you ever since!
*The Editors of The Countrymans Weekly, for accepting my first article I nervously submitted at the start of this year, and have gone on to request more (despite the trolling over the first article!)
*Mark, aka the ‘tea boy’ and creator of The Naked Huntresses charity calendar & all the other fab models who I have met since agreeing to take part for 2021, and maybe another year….Friendships have bloomed, laughs have been had “Just call me Janey!” & taking my clothes off and climbing up a tree in North Norfolk, in Autumn, to pose for a photo for said calendar has never been more liberating… or freezing! Can I have a warmer month next time please?
*Kath at BASC who pretty much raided their offices to send me as much stuff as she could for the last 2 mega Bun Clun days I hosted, meaning all the ladies who attended went home with a goodie bag filled with as much information and guidance on shooting we could provide , and of course, a free baseball cap!
*The staff at Sporting Targets who have embraced the last 2 huge ladies days and ensured they ran smoothly and well, encouraged me to book more ladies on & have really pushed for the ladies to come back with offers on lessons and membership.
*The gamekeeper and beating team, who make trudging through thick, wet, heavy mud and battling tall cover crops, worth it. The banter and stories we share, the wildlife I get to see & just being out in the fresh air with likeminded people.
And last but not least, thank you to all the ladies who have attended my Bun Club ladies days at Sporting Targets this year, some of you have gone on to apply for your licences, buy your first gun, book lessons, do your first game day or come out beating with me! And I am incredibly proud of you all. Some of you have attended every single one I have hosted, some have done it as a one off experience, but I have formed so many good close friendships with ladies on these days; I have a small band of fellow ‘trouble makers’ who have formed a ‘Rob’ fan club and won’t shoot with another instructor; although we are yet all to get together to have a group lesson with him- i think that may just tip him over the edge!
Being able to get out on the clay ground, and out beating, has had such a positive effect on my mood and wellbeing this year. I’ve been able to just stop and breathe and take time out for myself.
I’m so proud of what I have achieved this year, and thankful to those who have helped me achieve it and supported me through this year. I don’t know what 2022 holds; all being well, I have 4 game days in January booked, and a few more beating days before the season ends, after that- who knows! All I know is I need to trust those I know I can, not be so hard on myself or doubt myself so much and know I have my mums sheer grit to get me though whatever 2022 decides to throw at me.
Clays2Game_lady 