Who are the Benefit Boys?
In 2014, Garry Brookes attended a charity shoot organised by Vermin Hunters TV, a highly subscribed YouTube show. When it came to accommodation on the camping site, the organisers managed to arrange things to their own advantage. Basically, they got there early and claimed the nicer end of the field for themselves!
As the good-hearted punters rolled up in ones and twos, they found themselves thrown together in a somewhat rougher neighbourhood. Everyone rubbed along really well, and strong bonds developed amongst these ghetto rats, who agreed, as they communed around the camp fire, that it was like ‘living on Benefit Street’ (remember the TV show?). All this good-natured rivalry was purely in fun, of course, and it turned out to be the catalyst to some new and long-lasting friendships.
So, the ‘Benefit Boys’ kept in touch through their new Facebook group, which, before long, comprised 1,000 members from all over the world. Since 2015, the Benefit Boys have held an annual charity shoot at Garry’s home club – Richings Park Airgun Club. All profits are donated to Help for Heroes.
Accessible and Inclusive Airgun Club
It’s not the place. It’s the people that run it. Garry and the guys are out of this world. They make every single person welcome and will do anything they can to help you. (Facebook review)
Richings Park Airgun Club, in Iver, Buckinghamshire, is a relatively new airgun club, established in 2016 to run alongside Richings Park Clay Shooting Club. Driven by an ethos of inclusion and accessibility, this is a place to shoot (competitively, or just for fun) and a place to make friends.
Chairman Garry Brooks says, “It’s the only course in the country that you can go around in a wheelchair – as long as the conditions are right. If someone with a disability turns up, I’ll do my very best to acquire, or build, whatever they need to enable them to shoot. There’ll never be a problem including a person with special needs.”
Help for Heroes
Besides looking out for their own members, Richings Park Airgun Club are staunch supporters of Help for Heroes, a charitable organisation that offers aid to wounded service personnel.
Help for Heroes runs recovery centres (in partnership with the Ministry of Defence and the Royal British Legion) for the rehabilitation of sick and injured servicemen and -women. In partnership with the British Paralympic Association and other relevant governing bodies, Help for Heroes runs a para-sport programme, which provides access to adaptive sports for the charity’s beneficiaries. Some very successful sporting champions are ex-service personnel who have been encouraged and assisted by Help for Heroes.
A Fun-Filled Weekend at Richings Park Airgun Club
On the last weekend in June, the guys at Richings Park Airgun Club held a three-day shooting event in aid of Help for Heroes.
Benefit Boys and their families came from all over the country, and abroad, to socialise and to raise money for this important cause. There was a lot of catching up to do, so Friday was all about meeting, greeting, drinking and eating. Saturday was shooting day, when 65 of the 80 guests took part in the HFT (hunter field target) competitions.
On Sunday, there were presentations of trophies for outstanding shooting performance. Many congratulations to Paul Andrews, Wally Hale, Toni Bingley, and Sebastian Hale!
The weekend’s grand finale, on Sunday afternoon, was the raffle. Special congratulations to Sam, who won the Pellpax Dragon Kit, donated by Pellpax!
This year, the Benefit Boys’ annual charity shoot raised £934 for Help the Heroes, and the Pellpax team would like to say a big “Well done!” to the organisers and everyone who took part.
