For the past six years The Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation (NSIF) has run a clay pigeon flush event and last year raised an impressive £30,000 for the UK charity, which funds research into a cure for paralysis through spinal cord injury.
Charity clay days
Charity clay shoots have raised millions of pounds and clay day is certainly an appealing way to raise money for good causes. So we asked the fundraisers at NSIF for their tips on running one. Here’s what they told us.
“Money is raised from the NSIF Charity Clay Day in three ways; via ticket sales to the event, a raffle and an auction.
“The teams entering the event come from a variety of backgrounds – some may enter as friends and families, but often come from companies who use it for an enjoyable team building day out. Many come back year after year.
Venue
“We host the event at Pennsport Shooting School in Berkshire, a beautiful shooting ground that is better suited to experienced shooters (thought we have had beginners on occasion).
“Not only is it important that the shooting is good but we also ensure that the food is right too. The day starts with breakfast baps, there are snacks on hand throughout and the shoot ends with a delicious lunch served with good wine.”

A raffle is a good idea at a charity clay day
Tips for running a charity day
- Make sure the day proceeds as seamlessly as possible. People have paid for a great day out so they should enjoy it from the moment that they arrive. Shooting apart, the food, drink and atmosphere are also important.
- Look at ways to further increase fundraising on the day – raffles and auctions are a great way of generating income.
- An auction with outstanding lots completes the day and raises more funds
- Publicise your clay day before and afterwards. If the event has raised thousands of pounds for a deserving cause, take a photo and write a brief press release including how much was raised for the charity or charities and how many people attended. Then send it to your local newspaper, radio or television station.
- You can also set up a Facebook page to showcase the event. (You can see the NSIF Charity Facebook page here.)
Remember you can visit The Clay Line at The National Shooting Show to have a clay shooting lesson and assessment of your technique.
The legal side
If you are considering running a charity clay day on private land, rather than at a professional shooting school or ground, there are legal obligations. We suggest getting in touch with the Clay Pigeon Shooting Association (CPSA) or BASC to ask for advice.
For example, you should consider getting a Section 11(6) permission under the 1968 Firearms Act from your local police firearms department. This allows non-certificate holders to be in possession of ammunition and a shotgun under supervision. Most police authorities follow Clay Pigeon Shooting Association (CPSA) guidelines when issuing this certificate, either in permanent or temporary form, and may seek proof of insurance, existence of a risk assessment and the competence of those supervising.
You will also need to have insurance.
We spoke to Richard Worthington of the CPSA who advises: “Charity clay days are fun and can make a lot of money for good causes. However there are a few legalities to be aware of and we are always happy to advise.”