Winter 2015 magazine now online

The Countryside Alliance publishes a quarterly magazine that is sent to all members and the Winter 2015 magazine is now online. The cover features a Grove & Rufford Hound photographed by Penny Fillingham and the issue contains plenty of fieldsports, food & farming content. The editor's letter is below. Click here to download the issue. 2015_4_Winter

This issue is something of a "foodie" special with features on the diverse and delicious produce of Suffolk Food Hall, Vicars Game and Chalk Stream

Foods. We also bring you information on Christmas hampers – whatever you do this season, eat well and eat British.

The heritage of our sports is in the frame with the fascinating story of gunmakers William Evans (p46) and the colourful world of the Vintage Tack Room (p36), while the Grove & Rufford is looking firmly to the future by opening up its country and welcoming new faces (p16).

Readers will expect us to report on our frontline work and our campaigns team's review of 2015 (p28) shows how much has been achieved. Sadly, with the

hunting issue still unresolved and the lead shot debate still simmering, we certainly still have a lot to do. Chief Executive Tim Bonner urges the BBC to follow its own guidelines when it comes to presenter Chris Packham's vocal backing of an animal rights agenda (p11).

Our partnership with Country Life magazine to find Britain's Best Sporting Pub was fraught with hard decisions, but we are proud to present the winners (p24).

Sadly, our 2016 events listing (p49) is lacking the CLA Game Fair which will not run in the same guise again. What next for country shows? We ponder that question but it's a fact that in the countryside, enterprising souls rarely let the grass grow.

Merry Christmas to all readers

Jill Grieve, Editor, @CAupdates