The final of the Lady Shot of the Year competition will take place on the Saturday of this year’s CLA Game Fair, to be held at Harewood House in Yorkshire from Friday 31 July until Sunday 2 August.

Organised and run by the Shotgun and Chelsea Bun Club, the inclusive ladies shooting club set up in 2012 to encourage more women to take up shooting, the Lady Shot of the Year final will be the culmination of a range of qualifying heats taking place on Saturday 27 June which have attracted a wide range of entries of all shooting skill levels from around the country. The qualifying heats, which are still open for entrants, will take place at 23 venues around the country and cost £35 for coaching and 30 cartridges.

The top three scorers in beginners, intermediate and advanced categories in the qualifying heats will then be invited to shoot in the final of the competition, a 30-bird sporting layout over a range of stands. The winner will receive a Shotgun and Chelsea Bun Club tweed blazer and other prizes are being donated by Fur, Feather and Fin, the Sussex based country and shooting clothing and gift store.

The Lady Shot of the Year competition will also be raising funds for Victoria’s Promise, a charity set up in memory of Victoria Van Der Westhuizen who lost her battle with cancer in 2014. Victoria’s Promise provides support to women between the ages of 18-40 who have received a cancer diagnosis and works closely and in depth with each woman it supports to ensure their needs are met.

The charity provides a range of holistic services, including specialist reflexology and chemotherapy beauticians, to help women with cancer navigate the path through debilitating treatments and make their journey as stress free, manageable and successful as possible.

A fund raising raffle for Victoria’s Promise will be held over the three days of the CLA Game Fair on the Shotgun and Chelsea Bun Club stand on Gunmakers’ Row with a prize of a limited edition Sage “Grace” pink fly fishing rod and reel provided by Stan Conway, the renowned fly caster.

A range of other prizes are also on offer, including a fly fishing day for two with Stan on the world famous River Test in Hampshire, and a range of Shotgun and Chelsea Bun Club goodies.

Victoria Knowles-Lacks, founder of the Shotgun and Chelsea Bun Club, commented: “I am delighted that the final of the Lady Shot of the Year competition is taking place at the CLA Game Fair and that we will also be raising money for Victoria’s Promise, which is an extremely worthwhile charity. The final is likely to be hard fought but, as with all of our events, immensely good fun and I can’t wait to see it unfold!”

Fiona Eastman, mother of Victoria and a founding member of Victoria’s Promise, added: “The funds raised through the raffle being held on the Shotgun & Chelsea Bun Club stand and the raised awareness of our work will be invaluable in our mission to see that every women between the ages of 18-40 receives the care support and guidance they deserve whilst facing a difficult and frightening time in their young lives.”

For more details, visit www.gamefair.co.uk.

Unleash your inner Winston Churchill at the Robusto House Cigar Lounge, during this year’s CLA Game Fair, to be held at Harewood House near Leeds in Yorkshire from Friday 31 July until Sunday 2 August.

Founded in 2007 by Simon Selkin, Robusto House sells a wide range of authentic, hand rolled Cuban cigars at prestige events, as well as at private and corporate parties. All of its cigars are supplied via Hunter & Frankau, the UK’s exclusive importer of Cuban cigars since 1790.

The Robusto House stand, situated on Gunmakers’ Row, will showcase a range of 80 cigar brands, the majority of which are sourced from Cuba, in climate-controlled humidors. It will also offer cigars from lesser-known ‘new world’ cigar producers such as the Dominican Republic, Honduras and Nicaragua, many of which are made using tobacco from the United States.

The new, open-air Robusto House Cigar Lounge, situated behind the stand, will enable CLA Game Fair visitors over the age of 18 to sample the cigar of their choice in comfortable surroundings away from the buzz of the show. To enter the lounge all visitors need to do is sign up for the free-to-join Robusto Club and they can then relax, learn about the history of cigars, discover how Cuban cigars are made using just five tobacco leaves, and find out more about different brands.

Robusto House’s famous Cigar Sommeliers will also be on hand to advise visitors on the best cigar for their taste, whether it be a world-famous Montecristo, a strong Partegas loved by experienced cigar smokers, or a light and gentle Hoyo de Monterey. Also on show will be the company’s renowned 1950s Cigar Pram, which displays a range of cigars in its illuminated interior and adds an element of theatre to any event.

Simon Selkin, owner of Robusto House, commented: “We have seen an upsurge in interest in cigars, hence the idea of the Cigar Lounge which will appeal to cigar aficionados who know what they like, to those who have tried one or two before and want to find out more, and to visitors who are completely new to cigar smoking. Our motto of ‘the right time, the right cigar’ means we can find the perfect brand for anyone wanting to sample the pleasure of smoking natural, hand rolled cigars so do stop to try one for yourself!”

For more details, visit www.gamefair.co.uk

The CLA Game Fair has chosen youth charity The Prince’s Trust as its official charity for 2015. The charity, which was set up in 1976, supports 13 to 30-year-olds who are struggling at school, are unemployed, or facing issues such as homelessness, trouble with the law or mental health problems.

Three in four young people supported by the Prince’s Trust move into work, education or training and the charity has helped 750,000 young people since 1976, supporting over 100 more each day.

Visitors to the CLA Game Fair, which takes place at Harewood House in Yorkshire from Friday 31 July until Sunday 2 August, can make an online donation of £5 or £1 when they buy tickets to the event. In addition bucket collections will take place at the site entrances to raise further funds. This year The Prince’s Trust will support some 58,000 young people.

The Prince’s Trust will also have a stand at the CLA Game Fair manned by young people who have been supported by the charity’s Enterprise programme, which helps them set up their own businesses. New businesses being showcased at the event include a knitwear designer, a rare breed food producer and an arboriculturalist.

Tony Wall, Director of the CLA Game Fair, commented: “The Prince’s Trust is a superb charity that does a huge amount of practical work to put young people back on their feet and give them a chance to make their way in the world. I am delighted and proud that The Prince’s Trust is the CLA Game Fair’s official charity for 2015 and I encourage all ticket buyers and showgoers to donate generously to this extremely good cause.”

Tom Cowie, Fundraising Manager for Yorkshire and the Humber at The Prince’s Trust, added: “Being chosen as the CLA Game Fair’s 2015 charity of the year is a great honour and will undoubtedly raise the profile of our work to give disadvantaged young people the chance to turn their lives around. I would like to thank the CLA Game Fair for its tremendous support and huge enthusiasm for the work we do.”

For more details, visit www.gamefair.co.uk.

As part of the Harewood biomass project, power will be switched off in the Visitor Services office intermittently throughout the day. This will mean that we are unable to receive phone calls or answer emails.

If you are unable to reach us via phone, please email info@harewood.org. Once power is restored, we will respond as soon as possible.

Apologies for any inconvenience and thank you for your patience.

Harewood Visitor Services Team.

One of the most exciting developments at this year’s CLA Game Fair, to be held at Harewood House in Yorkshire from Friday 31 July to Sunday 2 August, is the all-new kayak experience area.

Recreational kayaking is a rapidly growing sport worldwide and especially so in the UK, where opportunities exist in river, lake and sea. The CLA Game Fair has partnered with GUL Watersports and Channel Kayaks, an innovative and forward-thinking company at the forefront of kayak design.

Their qualified staff will offer a, 30-minute kayak experience where visitors can actually try this fascinating sport for themselves, in total safety and under expert tuition.

CLA Game Fair’s Head of Fishing, Chris Ogborne, said: “As with all sports, the only way to truly sample its delights is to actually have a go, and kayaking is no exception. Visitors can actually try the craft on site and get help in choosing the right kayak, paddle, clothing and buoyancy aid – even the right roof rack for the car. The kayak experience area at the CLA Game Fair will provide a unique insight into this amazing sport.”

For those wishing to sample the kayaking, wetsuits and changing areas will be provided and fully trained experts will be on hand to supervise the whole area. Safety advice will be provided by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) who will also have their water safety education unit located at the waterside.

In addition to the kayaks, there will be a whole range of gear and clothing on display and for sale, including apparel from GUL Watersports and safety equipment. As well as launching some brand new kayak designs at the event, Channel Kayaks is also conducting a daily auction in aid of RNLI funds.

Under 16s are free-of-charge and adults will be asked to contribute a suggested £5 donation to the RNLI.

For more information, visit: www.gamefair.co.uk