By her own admission, Helen is more of a listener than a talker, an attribute which comes in useful in her voluntary role as founder of the GWN. She has built up a great deal of experience and numerous contacts through her part-time work as Yorkshire co-ordinator for the Farm Crisis Network, and as manager of the National Gamekeepers Association jobs register.

Helen is well aware of the pressures facing gamekeepers. Her husband, Mick is a head keeper, and their two sons have both chosen to follow in their father's footsteps. The couple, who also have two daughters, live in a remote cottage belonging to the 3,000 acre Tanfield Lodge estate, near Ripon, North Yorkshire.

"We live in a tied house and enjoy all the benefits that go with it," says Helen. "However most rural occupations have suffered in recent years, and gamekeeping is no exception. There are still jobs out there, but finding employment can be tough going.

"If an estate wants to make financial cuts, reducing labour for shoot management is an obvious solution. The threat of bird flu and the poor grouse season last year have not helped the situation."

Like farming, gamekeeping is a way of life and the house often comes with the job, she points out. Therefore being made redundant, or having to retire due to illness, is bound to have a major impact.

"Rising house prices have meant that buying a home in the countryside is no longer an option in many cases," she says. "Ex-gamekeepers can find it hard to adjust to living in more affordable town housing, and the pressures can affect relationships. They may also have to give up their working dogs, which is an additional blow."

As well as providing a sympathetic ear, Helen offers confidential, practical advice. Some families are unaware that they are entitled to state assistance, for example. Workplace mediation is another area of expertise - she recently helped a redundant gamekeeper arrange terms for continuing to rent his tied house, and suggested possible re-training opportunities.

"Just like farmers, gamekeepers have a huge range of different skills that they can adapt for other employment. They are practical people with a wide knowledge of the countryside. Some go into forestry work, while others take up professional gardening jobs. One redundant gamekeeper friend has started a business making dog kennels. Another has found security work."

Despite have little knowledge of countryside sports before she married, Helen, who used to farm in her own right, is a keen beater in her spare time. Her Large Munsterlander bitch, Kirrie, is usually by her side, although she also breeds her own strain of Border terriers, which she says are excellent at flushing pheasant.

Helen has received at least a dozen calls a month from worried gamekeepers, ghillies and stalkers since she launched the GWN. Rather than getting her down, she says the work gives her "a real buzz," especially when she is able make a difference.

Neither is it hard for her to maintain her enthusiasm for gamekeeping. She even gets jealous of the rest of her family on occasions.

"I feel envious when my husband comes home and says that a kingfisher has landed on his fishing rod, or when my son tells me he has seen a roe deer give birth to twin fawns. Gamekeeping is fascinating work.

"I like to think the GWN has filled a gap, because gamekeepers, ghillies and stalkers have tended to get a bit left out when it comes to support organisations. Talking through problems on a one-to-one basis is something that brings me great satisfaction. The only hard part is getting publicity to raise awareness of the organisation — I find it much easier to listen, than to talk about myself."

Helen is hoping that GWN will soon become a registered charity and expand to include volunteers around the country. Contact the organisation on 01677 470294.