Kick off the school holidays by getting the children into the countryside

2 million Brits have never visited the coast or countryside and Liam Botham wants families to get out there this summer and reduce that figure.

Liam Botham, well known rugby and cricket player as well as countryside enthusiasts, is keen to encourage youngsters to enjoy the many activities and enjoyment to be had in the countryside this summer.

Liam enjoys spending time fishing, walking and taking part in many other outdoor and countryside activities with his wife, 2 sons, daughter and dogs and feels that children who have not had the opportunity to explore what the countryside has to offer are missing out on lots of fun and education.

Liam will be joining over 140,000 countryside lovers at this year’s CLA Game Fair to be held on Friday 24 – Sunday 26 July. The show moves location each year and returns to Belvoir Castle, nr Grantham, where 500 acres of this beautiful estate will have every countryside activity on display for visitors to watch and have a go at.

The CLA Game Fair is the world’s biggest countryside show and is a wonderful family day out. It is fun, educational and entertaining. It’s a place to indulge yourself in fine food or try your hand at shooting, fishing or falconry, Investigating pond life, bug hunting or tree and bird identifying., aerial trekking, archery, quad biking or enjoy the company of the furred and the feathered from the mischievous to the magnificent. It also hosts international gundog competitions, the leading clay pigeon shooting contests and the most important fly casting championships in the UK.

Stars of the screen, sport, radio and TV will mingle with politicians, international champions, competitors and visitors from across the world all there to enjoy all that the countryside has on offer. There is something for everybody to get involved in and an action packed start to the summer holidays. You can watch it, try it, taste it and buy it as virtually every imaginable sporting and recreational pastime comes together on one site.

“The aim is “Come On, Have a Go” with organisers actively encouraging people to get involved, try something new – there can’t be many places where youngsters can handle ferrets or falcons, try their hands at archery or aerial trapeze, parachuting or pet management all on the same site – but they can at The Game Fair,” says Liam.

“There are advice stands for riding, archery, clay shooting, fishing and dogs, which is a wonderful way for visitors to take that first step to finding out how and where they can take part in these countryside activities. The people manning the stands are friendly and approachable and are there to answer any questions such as ‘Where is there an archery club near me?’ ‘Do I need a license to go to a river near by and fish’. Having found out that information the visitors are then directed off to have a go at the show.”

“For anybody who has never been or thinks that the countryside is not for them my message is think again. With more footpaths and bridleways on farmland making the countryside more accessible than ever and more landowners and farmers changing the use of their land to encourage more people into rural areas, make this summer the one when parents and children explore what is on offer and enjoy the great outdoors”

‘If you have a chance take the opportunity to visit The CLA Game Fair it is, quite simply, the best countryside event there is – it is an amazing day out for the whole family. It is the one place where everything, which touches the rural way of life, comes together for three days on the same site. It is educational and instructive and it is competitive in some areas but above all it is about enjoyment, about getting involved in the countryside and having fun,” said Liam

For full details on The CLA Game Fair please see www.gamefair.co.uk