The National Gamekeepers' Organisation (NGO) has awarded The Frank Jenkins Memorial Trophy for the "best" gamekeeping student of the academic year to Lee Alderson from Newton Rigg College, Cumbria.

The winner who "lives and breathes" gamekeeping has his sights firmly set on a future career as an upland headkeeper. Lindsay Waddell, the NGO Chairman, made the presentation at the Midland Game &, Country Fair, Weston Park, Shropshire on 15 September 2012.

Seventeen-year-old Lee Alderson, an apprentice on the Work Based Diploma course at the Northern School of Game and Wildlife Management at Newton Rigg College, Cumbria, said: "I'd like to thank the NGO. It is a great honour to win the Frank Jenkins Memorial Trophy. My granda [grandfather] is a gamekeeper and it is satisfying to follow in his footsteps. I started out as a beater and enjoyed it so much I knew I wanted to make gamekeeping my career. I can't imagine anything better."

Lee Alderson, who's from Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria, added: "Newton Rigg College has been brilliant at giving me a grounding in the theory of gamekeeping as well as in practical management. Studying at college and working as an apprentice on the grouse moors of the Wemmergill Estate in North Yorkshire and County Durham has been the ideal combination. In fact, I begin as an underkeeper at Wemmergill when my apprenticeship ends next year. One day I hope to be a headkeeper."

The National Committee of the National Gamekeepers' Organisation presents The Frank Jenkins Memorial Trophy annually. The award, now in its second year, goes to whoever is, in the opinion of the NGO judges, the best full- or part-time gamekeeping student or apprentice of the academic year. The late Frank Jenkins was a gamekeeper whose career spanned a remarkable 63 years.

In addition to the perpetual trophy, Lee won an engraved crystal tankard and a wardrobe of all-weather Musto shooting clothing, generously donated by Musto, the award sponsor. Frank Jenkins' son, Martin, a gamekeeper member of the NGO, also presented Lee with a shooting jacket.

Derrick Byas, who runs the two-year-long gamekeeping and countryside management course at Newton Rigg, said: "Lee lives and breathes gamekeeping. This is a huge honour for Lee and for the college. It's richly deserved. What sets Lee apart is his absolute dedication and focus on his studies and career. He's an intelligent, disciplined young man and I am sure it's only a matter of time before he achieves his dream of becoming an upland headkeeeper. Without a doubt, he is a credit to the industry and to Newton Rigg."

Lindsay Waddell, the Chairman of the National Gamekeepers' Organisation, on presenting the award, said: "Lee is a very worthy winner of the Frank Jenkins Trophy. There were a great many excellent candidates to consider and the standard of entries was exceptionally high. Even so, and given the stiff competition, Lee's entry still stood out in its dedication and enthusiasm for keepering. He is a thoroughly deserving, high-calibre winner who we feel will be a credit to the gamekeeping profession. The NGO National Committee wishes him a long, happy and successful keepering career."

Notes to Editors

The Frank Jenkins Memorial Trophy will be presented at 1pm at the National Gamekeepers' Organisation stand at the Midland Game &, Country Fair, Weston Park, Shropshire on 15 September 2012.

For further information please contact Julian Murray-Evans on 01766 523795 or email jmurrayevans@btinternet.com
or

Judy Thompson, PR for Newton Rigg College on 07903 326 170 / judy@publicity-plus.co.uk

Newton Rigg College, Penrith, Cumbria is one of the country's foremost land-based colleges, Newton Rigg offers full and part time courses which include agriculture, horticulture, sport, engineering, equine, child care, game-keeping and conservation and animal management. It is part of the Askham Bryan College family, which educates around 7,500 students from across the North of England and beyond. Its Countryside Management courses are an integral part of the education provision. Newton Rigg is always looking for good employers to take on apprentices and who wish to encourage the next generation of gamekeepers. Apprentices at Newton Rigg obtain the Work Based Diploma as well as additional qualifications in a range of industry related disciplines including: game meat hygiene, the use of pesticides and chainsaws, and operating all terrain vehicles. For more information see www.newton.rigg.ac.uk Media contact: Judy Thompson - 07903 326 170 or judy@publicity-plus.co.uk

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The National Gamekeepers' Organisation (NGO) represents the gamekeepers of England and Wales. It defends and promotes gamekeeping, gamekeepers and ensures high standards throughout the profession. Founded in 1997 by a group of gamekeepers who felt that their profession was threatened by public misunderstanding and poor representation, it has now more than 16,000 members.
Visit http://www.nationalgamekeepers.org.uk/

The motto of the NGO is Keeping the Balance

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Joining the NGO is easy and can be done now online.
Or if you prefer, call 01833 660 869