PuBS 2008 Our first season!!

 PuBS was founded on 30th. June 2008 with the intention of furthering Mark Elliott's (Founder of the National Organisation of Beaters and Pickers Up) vision and to try and get more people involved in countryside pursuits, especially younger people who we hope will carry on for the next generation too.

PuBS services are totally free and informal, easy to use and there are FREEFAX and FREEFONE numbers available for members and non-members to use for contact with administration.

Most contact is by way of the PuBS Forum - www.pubs.myfunforum.org - no need to register to read or make posts, totally FREE. The process involves persons wishing to find places on shoots posting in the relevant category and shoots seeking people to do likewise, and so making contact. No need for unwieldy databases or membership records, PuBS is very much a "live" system, and as most shoots in particular, often need beaters or pickers up at short notice it enables a quick reaction.

In the few months since we started we are fortunate to count as members a qualified clay coach and shooting instructor, who used to be a Registered Firearms Dealer, a shoot captain running his own shoot who is also able to give Health & Safety Advice ( very important in this day and age!), a member who has his own website which has detailed information and advice for prospective and existing beaters, which also includes picking up advice and information from another member who has had many years of experience . http://www.shootpics.co.uk/index.html.

We have members who can advise on dog training issues and also on diets for working dogs, in fact we have members who can answer questions on most things!

We have had valuable feedback from members and non members which indicates that our system is successful and we have placed many people on shoots, some who have been trying to find a place for some time, all at no cost to them or the shoot concerned.

Our sponsored charity is NESSR - www.nessr.net- which will rehome dogs to working homes, subject to their usual rules, and which is under increasing pressure for funds and places following the usual Christmas period but also due to the credit crunch - please make a donation no matter how small to help them.

Our membership is over 300 and there have been over 4500 hits on the PuBS website - a terrific result for such a new organisationich has had little or no media support.

During 2009 PuBS will attend as many shows and game fairs as we can - there will be no merchandise to sell - we will offer hospitality and light refreshments to anyone who would like to call and say hello and take the weight off their feet.

Finally a big big thank you to members and non members alike, to our moderators, and to everyone who has helped make PuBS succeed in 2008 - a Happy 2009 to you all