AT-TEFF Membership Announcement

To Team Managers, Coordinators & Anglers,

We are writing to inform you of AT-TEFF Executive decisions regarding policy and financial budgeting that will come into effect from the start of the forthcoming Season, September / October 2021.

AT Membership

Since Angling Trust became the governing body for all competitive fishing there has been a requirement for everyone who enters the qualifying process to represent England to become a member of Angling Trust. Coarse and Sea Anglers have already adopted this requirement and when TEFF became part of AT in 2012 it was agreed that we would adopt the requirement as well. AT gave us time to bring in this requirement and over the following years TEFF has progressively introduced it. We now need to complete this agreement by making AT Membership mandatory for everyone entering our Qualifier and League programmes.

Angling Trust has relieved TEFF of many Corporate responsibilities and expense such as Insurance, Accounting, Auditing, Legal Support etc. We also utilise AT’s resources to promote and administer our events. These activities are invaluable to us and without them our entry fees would have to be significantly increased, as would the amount of volunteer time required to carry out this work.

Entry Fees

The ATTEFF Executive recognises that the requirement for AT membership will increase the cost of participation for those who are not currently AT members. To help offset this and also reduce the cost to the majority of those who enter our Qualifier and League programmes there will be a standard entry fee for all events set @£27.50 per event (currently £30). This will apply to all Qualifiers, Semi and National Finals, Repêchage and Leagues.

Organisers’ Expenses

Out of pocket expenses up to £150 per event will be allowed for volunteer organisers to claim provided they are included in the approved budget and supported by relevant receipts.

England Team Grants

In 2020 ATTEFF introduced a Team Grant for all teams representing England. The amount awarded to each Team is based on the number of its members. The Team are then responsible for all expenditure associated with their participation in their Championship.

The grants are drawn from the funds raised through Qualifiers, Semi and National Finals, Repêchage and Leagues. Once the annual budgets are finalised, we will confirm the amount of the grant for the coming season, but anticipate it will £200-£300 per person.

Raising of Team Funds

To help Team Members afford the cost of their participation in a Championship, ATTEFF will actively promote and support Team initiatives to generate funds. Any funds a Team makes will be ringfenced for the sole benefit of that Team.

Angling Trust CEO Jamie Cook added:

“The Angling Trust are committed to enhancing our support of Team England in all disciplines and delivering success in the form of medals. As a not for profit organisation we commit to re-investing revenues generated from TEFF events directly into the England fly fishing teams – as an amateur sport who do not receive elite UK Sport funding by making this commitment we can reduce the burden on anglers self-funding their own participation and aspire to ensure that cost is never a barrier to participation at the highest level. I hope this will provide confidence and transparency to our members that the money they put in to Team England Fly Fishing is going directly to support the teams’ success.”

Download the PDF statement here.