The FWA leases from the Crown Estate all of the foreshore between the Rivers Nene and Great Ouse on the coast of the Wash - some 9 miles of salt marshes and the extensive mudflats beyond. Members can shoot here at any time during the season September 1st to February 20th (but there is no Sunday shooting in the county of Norfolk, which includes the eastern part of these marshes.

Day tickets are available for accompanied BASC members.

We own 91 acres of land at four different sites on the Ouse Washes at Sutton Gault, Mepal, and Welney. At a fifth site, Salter's Lode, we own 140 acres of freehold land and sporting rights in partnership with the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust of which 100 acres are shot by our members. The Association also leases 164 acres of shooting over flood meadows and arable land next to the Great Ouse near Huntingdon.

Flights on inland washes are by permit. There is a small booking fee and a highly effective telephone booking system is in place. Day tickets are available for members' guests on most areas.

Within the Association there is a "walk and stand" syndicate, which shoots over about 1000 acres of farmland next to the Wash at Terrington and over some 700 acres at Newton and Tydd. Bags are not large as this is a DIY shoot with limited cover, but it forms an enjoyable introduction to formal style shooting for members. A limited number of individual days are available at a very reasonable rate to members who do not wish to subscribe to the syndicate.

The FWA exists to provide shooting at a reasonable cost for its members, and we are always looking for new shooting opportunities whether by land purchase, leasing, or exchanges with other clubs. We have provided various other forms of shooting in the past and there may be more on offer by next season.

There are general meetings on the first Friday of each month through the winter season at which there is some form of entertainment - usually a speaker. Recent guests have included firearms guru Colin Greenwood, author Robin Page, artist Simon Trinder, and "Dennis from Grunty Fen". We no longer have annual dinners but formal dinners still take place from time to time, and one was held last year to celebrate our fiftieth anniversary. We have stands to meet members and friends at the Fenland and Norfolk Country Fairs, and while clay shooting is not a major interest we hold an annual club shoot and also one against neighbouring wildfowling clubs. These naturally include events for big guns. We have also had a dog-training group which has met on a fairly casual basis until recently and which we hope to revive soon. We have a website at www.fenlandwa.org.uk and there is a telephone information line for members.

The FWA is affiliated to the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC - formerly WAGBI) with full membership benefits for individual FWA members, and also to the Countryside Alliance (formerly BFSS). The FWA is one of the eight clubs forming the Wash Wildfowlers' Working Group and represents shooting interests on a number of other bodies such as the Wash and North Norfolk Coast SAC Advisory Group and the Ouse Washes Management Strategy Group.

The FWA has a limited membership of 350 Full members. New members are admitted during the summer months of each year, depending upon vacancies. Membership categories are Full, Junior (with concessions for existing Juniors throughout their Student career), and Full OAP.

So if you are interested come and have a talk to us on our stand. Or online at:

                       WWW.FENLANDWA.ORG.UK