We started the Cotswold Group mid-1970s to cater for members in the area between the edge of London across to the Welsh border, so counties of Bucks, Berks, Oxon, Glos and Herefordshire (and a bit above and below). We had field meetings around Chipping Norton (courtesy of Jim Wiggins) and around Brailes near Banbury with the help of the late and missed Norman Wernham. In the early days officers and members were Ben Long and the likes of Paul Smith. Ian Lindsay, “Chip” Hunt, Derek Woodcock, Josephine Mitchell, Dave Studeley, Dave Hodges  etc., some of whom are still with us and happily  hawking.

 

The Cotswold group are made up of a number of experienced falconry members who enjoy meeting up on a Sunday evening at the Red Lion public house, The Green, Cassington, Oxon, OX29 4DN every two months in the Hawking season, the meetings are usually a social event in which we will generally talk about our own experiences. We also hold family BBQ meets where we will display a number of raptors and enjoy flying some of the falcons to kite’s, quadcopters and rowcrow to give the various attending members the opportunity to experience how these methods of training can better the fitness and flying skills of these individual falcons.

 

We are also holding field meetings where members can have the opportunity to fly there raptors at quarry at a well stocked location and enjoy the sport fully, the officers and members of the group are very happy to welcome new and existing members of other regions to join them at there meetings, just drop me a line and I will advice you when the next meeting is talking place.