Ali’s Dream Clay Pigeon Shoot
On Sunday the 29th of April, the 11th annual Ali’s Dream Clay Pigeon Shoot took place at Padbury farm in Buckinghamshire. Despite what is said to be the worst weather conditions that the local charity has experience for their Annual Clay Pigeon Shoot, 62 individuals entered and were not deterred by the pouring rain. The competition was exceptionally tough, with several staff from the Munnelly camp attending to not only show support to the local charity but to also turn their hand to an array of clay pigeon shooting.
The event was started in April 2002, ten months after Alison was lost to a brain tumour in June 2001 (three weeks before her eighth birthday). The day raised a fantastic £2,208.00, with the total that this event has raised over the last 11 years to a figure of £30,000.00. This money will fund a research project for one year and will give hope to those families who hear the devastating news that their child has a brain tumour.
Geoff French of North Harrow and his team ‘The French Connection’ were the eventual winners of the Novice Team Shield, with a score of 82. They have been attending the event since it started and could not believe how their fortunes had changed. Last year’s novice winners and newcomers ‘The Attoes’, from Surrey, were runners up scoring 69. Unfortunately, the Munnelly team were not as good shooters as they were Construction Managers tallying a score of 112 for the whole team.
Stanmore based Julie Phelan, Alison’s mum, said “We have always been lucky with the weather for the Clay Pigeon Shoot and some people have even suffered sun burn in the past. We were dreading the rain as we closely watched the weather forecast every day during the lead up to this event. The conditions were horrible; it rained all morning and was extremely windy. Yet despite being cold and wet everyone got on with it and had a great time nonetheless. It is always great to see our loyal supporters turning up year after year and to greet newcomers, and it was particularly pleasing that Geoff and his team should finally win. Geoff and his wife Carrie have been close friends of our family for many years and supported us during Ali’s illness and ever since. Everyone should be extremely proud of the £30,000 they have helped us to raise over the years. The money raised will fund vital research into childhood brain tumours and help save lives.”
Ali’s Dream could not have put this event on without the loyal support of the ‘guns’ and beaters of Padbury Hill Farm’s shoot syndicate who offered up their time to provide instruction.
Special thanks to all involved. See you next year!
For more information please visit: www.alisdream.f2s.com
