Renegades Youth Group: Plucky Renegades can be a little fowl

Plucky Renegades can be a little fowl!

Perhaps channelling the spirit of Christmas pheasant, the Renegades Youth Group recently enjoyed a close encounter of the bird kind.

Award-winning local farmer Clive Stickland of Burchett’s Farm, who has been a long-time supporter of the youth group, generously donated six braces of pheasants for the tweens and teens to learn how to pluck.

“One of the dads, James, is an experienced plucker, and Clive and his partner, Tina, had already taught me,” said Group Leader Gareth Miller, “so we felt confident giving the kids a go.

“They absolutely loved it – including our permanently hungry spaniel Molly –- and it never ceases to surprise me just how bloodthirsty children can be. Those heads were chopped off in record time and without the smallest wince… except from me!”

Once they had plucked the birds, they then set about gutting them and taking the breasts off the bone… which they then took home with them. “Some of the children went on to cook the pheasant they had worked on – a real farm-to-fork experience that is part of the Renegades ethos,” said Gareth. Not content with ruffling a few pheasant feathers, Gareth also decided to let one of the teenagers loose on his own crowning glory. “In the school holidays Noah dyes his hair a variety of vibrant colours and he always looks amazing, so I thought he could have a go on my boring brown locks. It was good fun and I loved the colour while the dye was on, but it washed out almost immediately. Next time I’m going for a permanent rainbow!” laughed Gareth. Lockdown 3.0 has forced the Renegades back online but the scavenger hunts and challenge games are proving very popular –except with the mum who unexpectedly got a lap full of water when Gareth spoof-challenged her son to do it. “I should know by now that young boys don’t have an “I was only only joking” filter!” The Renegades is a youth group for all local children (in roughly The Weald catchment area) aged 10-16. It costs £10 a month and can be joined by calling Gareth Miller on 07801 862550. Vanda Rumney

Photo: Renegade pheasant pluckers!

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