T FEELS like a harsh winter arriving at Loddington, with frost hard on the ground, so the guns hurry inside to escape the icy chill. First to arrive is host of the day James Gore with guest Jeremy Finnis, a trustee of the GWCT and chairman of the Allerton Project, who have both shot at Loddington before. Most of the team is from Kent except for Finnis who, as Gore quips, is an “Essex import”. As a long-time supporter of the GWCT, Gore won the day at a Trust charity auction and is brimming with excitement. “It is not just the shooting but also a day out with your friends, although sport is the glue that has held us together for so many years,” he says. Organising the shoot and giving the briefing is Amber Lole, GWCT game and wildlife adviser for western England. “The bag is 130 to 150 birds,” Lole explains. “Two drives, elevenses, then three drives followed
