It was a crisp Autumnal Thursday that saw us set off from the hustle and bustle of London in a convoy of Range Rovers, wrapped up warm in our Barbour jumpers – the Lodgemead being the style du jour for women and the Badsworth for the boys. After eating 3 packets of Percy Pigs we finally made it out of the big smoke's traffic and into the picturesque East Sussex countryside.

After a cup of tea, homemade lemon drizzle cake and a hot bath we dressed for dinner, hosted at the excellent Bell in Ticehurst. We dined on seasonal food, produced locally and washed down with fine wine and great company.

Friday saw us up early for an exciting day of clay shooting. A hearty breakfast set us up for our day at Coopers Farm. We were split into teams and our first challenge was to think up original team names followed by an all important health and safety talk – ear plugs in, glasses on! Finally we set off through the fields, past the pigs, to our stands. Each one of our teams had a brilliant instructor from J C Marsh shooting who remained patient with us no matter how many time we missed the darn clay!

The wonderful Jane at Coopers Farm built a bonfire, surrounded by hay bales, covered in Barbour picnic rugs for a quick elevenses pit stop. A cup of tea and a Mars bar provided everyone with a much needed energy boost ready for more shooting and the competition! A competitive few hours shooting followed, with some people doing a lot better than others! The rain held off until after our delicious lunch of fish pie and beef stew, followed by the all important prize giving ceremony before we all bid fond farewells to Coopers Farm and the countryside.