ORGANISERS of an annual clay pigeon shoot, set up in memory of a popular dales man, are gunning for another successful year.
Families are being welcomed to the eighth Stephen Mitchell Memorial Shoot on Saturday, July 28 at Stotley Grange, above Middleton-in-Teesdale on the Stanhope Road.
Since it began in 2011, the shooting contest has raised almost £27,000 for local good causes. The event was originally set up to keep the memory of Stephen Mitchell alive following his sudden death in August 2010 which left the community in shock.
The 52-year-old, who was well known in the dale, was a keen shooter who helped to run the Marwood Syndicate for more than ten years.
He also ran the J Raine & Son hardware shop, in Middleton-in-Teesdale, with his wife Christine for more than 25 years and was one of the original organisers of the village’s Christmas lights. The event has grown year on year and last year attracted 136 shooters.
One of the organisers and Stephen’s brother, Nigel Mitchell, said: “Stephen would have been overwhelmed by it all. He loved his shooting so we thought it was apt that we did a clay shoot in his memory.
“All of the money raised goes back to the local community. The support we have had has been absolutely tremendous. The event is really well supported.
“It is a charity clay shoot come family day. People can just turn up on the day. Lets just hope it’s a sunny day.”
This year’s event will see shooters give their best shots on a 50-bird sporting layout.
The first shooting entry is at 10am and the last entry is 3.30pm. Entry costs £20. Prize categories include men, ladies, under 16s, veterans and gamekeepers. Participants need to provide their own cartridges which must be fibre wad and a maximum of 28 grams.
For those who are new to the sport, there will be a “have a go” stand. No licence is required and tuition will be provided. Children’s sports will begin at 1pm. There will also be a marquee with a silent auction and a raffle. Prizes include a Rubiks cube fridge, a day grouse shooting and a day pheasant shooting. There are also more than 60 raffle prizes up for grabs.
Thanks to the Stephen Mitchell Memorial fund, community defibrillators have been installed around the dale. Donations have also been given to a selection of organisations including Utass, local schools, brownies groups, Middleton-in-Teesdale’s Christmas lights and Teesdale Farm Watch.
Mr Mitchell says people who have benefitted from funds raised at the shoot now help to organise the event each year. Gary Hutchinson told Mr Mitchell he owed his life to the Stephen Mitchell Memorial Shoot.
It funded a defibrillator in Middleton-in-Teesdale in 2013 and a few months later saved Mr Hutchinson’s life when he suffered a cardiac arrest.
For more information, call 01833 640291. The postcode is DL12 0SA.
