End of an era indeed

Will Hetherington is leaving the Shooting Gazette. He will be missed by every reader. Under his leadership the Gazette has been interesting, often irreverent, always entertaining and surprisingly varied. The journal of driven shooting it may be, but that very fine epithet perhaps belies the diversity of quality writers Will has assembled over the years. 

The end of Will's tenure is of particular significance to me because he gave me my start in writing. My very first column was printed in the February 2012 edition of the Shooting Gazette. Also the first time I saw myself as a line drawing.

That was real bucket-list ticking moment for me, driving to the newsagent straight after work to see myself in such a venerable publication. I had already seen it in my own home-delivered copy, but picking it up off the shelf is the moment that stays with me.

That column ran for a year, documenting a year in the life of the Lackham College shoot, its wonderful students and those who try their best to teach them. It really was the beginning of everything I have done in the wider shooting community, leading to more writing opportunities, my eventual move to the Countryside Alliance and everything that has happened since.

Since then Will has been kind enough to take a number of features and articles from me and has been tremendously supportive since I hung up my whiteboard pens and swapped lecturing for a career in writing and campaigning at the Alliance. He also caught me on film getting knocked from under my hat by a black powder muskatoon, at a Help for Heroes day at EJ Churchill last year.

So the end of an era indeed. All the best in whatever you're up to next Will, and thanks for taking a chance on me. I am forever in your debt.