I felt a mixture of jubilation and trepidation as I pulled into the car park at Westfield Shooting Ground, in the lovely Cotswold countryside near Cheltenham. After weeks of lockdown, this was my first visit to a shooting ground - indeed, my first trip further than the local supermarket. It felt great to be out at a shoot again, but with the Covid 19 virus still in circulation, there was also the nagging worry about whether it would not only be safe but feel safe.
Stand 1 set the format, with clearly signed waiting areas for each pair of shooters
Stepping out of the car, I was met with cheery waves and greetings - the shooters were delighted to be back out, and looking forward to pulling the trigger. It felt awkward at first, skirting round people and resisting the temptation to step up and shake hands with friends I’d missed over the lockdown. Soon, however, it became second nature, and the setup at the ground made it easy to observe and even exceed the official guidance - which at the time involved two-metre social distancing.