A CHARITY clay shoot held at Lady’s Wood Shooting School in Chipping Sodbury has raised over £2,000.

The money has been donated to the Gurkha Welfare Trust (GWT), which exists to ensure that Gurkha veterans and their widows are able to live with dignity.

Ten teams of four, who came from as far afield as West Wales, competed in the shoot on Friday, July 7.

The day, which was organised by the Western Branch of GWT, concluded with a Gurkha lunch, raffle, auction and prize-giving.

Dave Clifford, from Bristol, took home the High Gun prize while his team comprising of Mark Bradshaw, John Harvey and Paul Cornish won the team challenge.

Chris Hanks, Manager and Instructor at Lady's Wood Shooting School, said:  “We were thrilled to have been asked to host the GWT's 2017 charity shoot and play our part in creating a fantastic fund-raising event. 

“We look forward to welcoming the charity and its supporters in the future and hope that this will be the start of a long and fruitful relationship."

Money raised from the charity shoot will be used to help provide financial, medical and community aid in the Gurkhas' native country of Nepal, as well as providing support to ex-Gurkhas and their families now based here in the UK.

The GWT, which was established in 1969, works to raise around £20 million for its work every year.

Since the devastating earthquake that hit Nepal in 2015, the charity has helped build 1000 completely new earthquake-resistant homes, over 30 schools and four community centres.

They have also constructed around 150 water projects to support Gurkha communities, using local builders and with the work overseen by Gurkha Engineers from the UK. 

Brigadier Bruce Jackman OBE, MC, Chairman of The GWT's Western Branch, said that the charity was “most grateful” to Lady’s Wood Shooting school for hosting the clay shoot.

He said: "Events such as this one raise vital funds to ensure that we can continue to support veterans in Nepal and help repay the debt of honour our country owes to these brave men.

"Gurkhas have fought for us for over 200 years and we are committed to ensuring that we remain a friend to them in their times of need. 

“We are most grateful to all those who attended our clay shoot and supported the event and helped ensure that we deliver on this promise."

This year's charity clay shoot was the first to be held in Gloucestershire, but its success means that the GWT has already confirmed its plans to return to Lady's Wood in the future.

More information on The Gurkha Welfare Trust can be found at www.gwt.org.uk

To find out more about charity clay shoots at Lady's Wood please call 01454 294546 or visit www.ladyswood.co.uk