Askham Bryan students set to benefit from Manx Game Preservation Society donation

The Manx Game Preservation Society has awarded an educational legacy to Askham Bryan College, allowing students to obtain additional professional qualifications, coordinated by BASC. 

After seventy years of actively promoting game shooting and conservation on the Isle of Man, the Manx Game Preservation Society has sadly folded. However, the society has chosen to leave an educational legacy and has selected Askham Bryan College in York as the chosen recipient.

The society’s donation will support students on the college’s Land and Wildlife course through the delivery of professional additional qualifications such as DSC1, firearms awareness and first aid. 

The training will be coordinated by BASC and will provide students the opportunity to increase their knowledge, skills and employability in readiness for progression into sector jobs.

Alan Jackson, chairman of Manx Game Preservation Society said: “The members wished some club funds to be made available to help young people training for future employment in countryside management, inclusive of field sports. We are grateful for BASC and Askham Bryan College for realising this vision.”

In response to the funding award, Brian Sweeney, course manager for Land and Wildlife at Askham Bryan College said: “The donation from the Manx Game Preservation Society will provide an amazing opportunity to give young gamekeepers extra practical training and industry recognised certificates. The donation is greatly appreciated.

“Providing the training through BASC represents an extension to the support we already get from the association and enhances our ongoing collaboration to help improve the employability of young gamekeepers.”

Curtis Mossop, head of education and outreach at BASC, expressed financial challenges faced by further education colleges saying: “Due to a lack of centralised funding within the further education sector, colleges are simply not able to provide students with as many additional qualifications as they would like. The costs of undertaking extra courses then falls on the students and their families and with the range of courses going from hundreds to thousands; it can get incredibly expensive. 

“While it is a huge shame that the Manx Game Preservation Society has folded, their decision to support land managers of the future is an incredible legacy to leave.”