Rayleigh and Wickford MP Mark Francois drew on his old skills as an Infantry Officer in the Territorial Army when he attended a charity shooting match, organised by the Chairman of Rochford District Council, Councillor Lesley Butcher, to raise money for an Armed Forces Charity.
The event, which was held at the First Rayleigh Scout Hut in Kenilworth Road, involved around twenty guests trying out their shooting skills under the supervision of the qualified shooting instructors from First Rayleigh Scouts.
The evening helped to raise money for the Aaron Lewis Foundation, a charity which helps Armed Forces personnel and veterans and which is named after local man, Lieutenant Aaron Lewis, who was killed several years ago while on active duty in Afghanistan.
After a hard fought shooting competition Mark came second, being pipped at the post by the Chairman’s daughter, Holly Butcher, who scored four bullseyes in her shoot (as opposed to Mark’s two).
Commenting on the event Mark said:
“This was a really novel way to raise over £300 for a very worthwhile charity, the Aaron Lewis Foundation and I am grateful to the First Rayleigh Scouts for all their help in making it possible. All concerned had a really fun evening trying out their shooting skills for such a good cause. I was very impressed by the professionalism of the First Rayleigh Scouts instructors, who showed what an exciting past time modern scouting can now be.”