Vinnie Jones new patron

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The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation has today (1 March 2021) announced Vinnie Jones as one of its patrons.

The actor and ex-footballer is a keen proponent of the role of gamekeepers in countryside management. He has a strong association with gamekeepers and land at his home in West Sussex is managed for shooting.

Vinnie Jones, Patron of the NGO, said: 

“I am delighted to be a patron for the NGO. My father brought me up in the countryside. He was a gamekeeper and I followed in his footsteps when I left school. I am passionate about the British countryside and was encouraged to respect all wildlife and game that is found on our shoots.  

“Gamekeepers are our eyes and ears in the British countryside and their knowledgeable voices must be heard. I am delighted to be asked to be a patron of these hard-working men and women and will help to protect their jobs and countryside in any way that I can. 

“I regard myself as a British conservationist and wish to protect our way of life for future generations, not least of all for my two grandsons. The gamekeepers of this country are an integral part of rural land management, they understand practical wildlife management and many endangered species would suffer without them and the shooting estates upon which they work.”

Liam Bell, Chairman of the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation, said: 

“Vinnie is hands-on and as a result he truly understands the vital role of a gamekeeper in the balance of nature and the best way to manage our countryside for shooting and conservation. 

“We are thrilled to have him supporting the NGO, during what has been a difficult year for everyone, so it has definitely come at a good time.”

Vinnie Jones joins Sir Gareth Edwards as an NGO Patron for England and Wales. Previous Patrons of the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation include Sir David Bellamy and Alan Titchmarsh MBE. 

The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation was founded in 1997 by a group of gamekeepers who felt that their profession was threatened by public misunderstanding and poor representation.

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Photo credit: Alamy