Chris Packham was the first…

m8ALFD4rG4jR50EoMj_a--6ZDFGIz0oYz3X9zg3FAJoTiming is everything – and so often a matter of luck!

I had noticed that the 3000th post on this blog was coming up shortly but a quick, unplanned blog about Mountain Hares meant that when my third e-petition to ban driven grouse shooting went live a little while ago this announcement could occupy the 3000th slot. How fitting! Some probably think that about 2999 others have been on this subject too…

Chris Packham was the first person to sign it (I only know that because you have to get five people to sign up and the petition site tells you how it’s going for the first people to sign) and I am very grateful to him, Bill Oddie and the Chief Executive of the League Against Cruel Sports, Eduardo de Gonçalves, for giving their support to this e-petition.

So here we go again – onwards and upwards – with a closing date well into the grouse shooting season on 20 September.  First time around it was 22,399 signatures (in 11 months); last time it was 33,655 (in six months); this time – well, we’ll see.

Timing is everything! As I noticed that the e-petition had gone live (not what I was expecting on a Sunday afternoon), the ice-cream van came round and so I celebrated with a cornet.

And so, for the first time for this e-petition, but not the last, please sign this e-petition to ban driven grouse shooting and force a parliamentary debate on the future of our uplands.

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35 Replies to “Chris Packham was the first…”

  1. Right, signed, but never mind that… you said “the ice cream van came round”!! Where do you live??? It must be in an alternative universe… do you have a milkman too?

    1. Daphne – yes we have a milkman.

      It’s dealing with the ‘new money’ that I find difficult. Give me change from half a crown?

  2. 172, Sheffield Central on the map. I’ve got a feeling this one is going to be a lot bigger, Mark.

  3. If you can get a cornet and change from half a crown I’m moving to Raunds. Petition signed.

  4. Signed and emailed to others. Good luck with the campaign. Anyone who can remember half crowns deserves success!

    1. Bamboo – thank you. We need to mobilise our friends, our workmates and our relatives in order to get a really big number of signatures.

      1. I think the last time over a 1,000 signatures were hit the first day, the rate they are totting up just now would be very surprised if anything less than 1,500 at end of this day considering many people will still be out and about and haven’t had the very pleasant surprise that the epetition is on again yet. I won’t tempt fate by saying what I hope and think the real figure will be by the time we reach midnight. I know this is about driven grouse shooting, but I still think it gives us a chance to send a counter message about the general contempt too many field ‘sports’ seem to hold for wildlife, the land and rural economies via tree barren hills courtesy of red deer for stalking (and occasional fatal road collision) and the ludicrous number of pheasant and partridge dumped into the countryside to serve as feathered clay pigeons. Thanks again Mark.

        1. Just waiting for someone from Hallam to sign to get the full set of Sheffield constituencies in before midnight, Mark (apparently that’s just about to happen). Another four constituencies after that and we have a complete Yorkshire set. Very pleasing indeed!

  5. it’s going to be a big one, if we all have anything to do with it. My wife signed at 622 and by the time I could sign moments later it was 645 ! Spot on.

    1. Stephen – many thanks!

      Now ask your friends to sign too please. Could you get one new person to sign up every day? I bet you could. That would be awesome!

  6. Shared, will be signed as soon as the slowest ever email link turns up (drumming fingers on table, checking email again…)

  7. Auspicious (literally); signed, went back out, and half an hour later I found a Great Grey Shrike!

    1. Jim – that’ll happen to everyone who signs – I promise (fingers crossed behind my back) except in summer it will be a Montagu’s Harrier.

  8. It worked at last. 1,300 and counting and going into cyberspace.
    Can already hear the Moorland Association and co. saying:
    ‘Houston, we have a problem.’

  9. Signed at over 600, by the time I had a chance to check for the confirmatory email it was over 1600!

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