Get Fishing Fund creates priceless angling opportunities at The Norfolk Hospice

Get Fishing Blog

Tom Humphreys – Regional Angling Development Officer, Angling Trust

At the Angling Trust we know that fishing is a perfect way of connecting to nature, and that it can bring a wide range of wellbeing benefits. We recently provided a small amount of funding to The Norfolk Hospice, a charity providing specialist palliative and end of life care to people living with life-shortening illnesses. The funding was used to open up the possibility of taking patients fishing. We were very pleased to hear from our friends at the Hospice with an update. Here’s what they had to say…

Dear Tom,

We thought you’d be interested to hear that the new fishing sessions that the Angling Trust helped to fund have been incredibly popular! This year we’ve been able to run three fishing groups for six weeks, with five patients at each session.

The fishing group has been consistently fully booked and at times we’ve even had a waiting list!

The group continues to be successful, supporting individuals to take part in meaningful activity which helps improve their mood, general wellbeing and encourages physical activity and importantly too – social interaction.

Without exception, all the participants have said how much they enjoy the sessions, and some patients have even chosen to become members of the angling club where we run the project. This means they can go fishing whenever they want, and for as long as they like – brilliant!

Fishing sessions at The Norfolk Hospice

Because of the new fishing offer, one patient was even able to fulfil his wish of being able to fish one more time. Sadly, he passed away shortly after attending his first session but, the look on his and his wife’s face at that session was priceless. It meant we could get a photo of him with one of his catches as a keepsake for his wife.

Other feedback from our patients includes:

“This is the highlight of my week”

“He feels much better since he has been able to engage with more social activities, especially fishing. He’s mobile and, his mood and enthusiasm has improved.”

“I was very reticent to accept help from The Norfolk Hospice, but this has helped to change my perception and I am really pleased that I agreed to give this a try.”

The wonderful donation from the Angling Trust to buy the equipment that we need for the fishing group has been an enormous help in a year where our finances are again being hit by Covid-19. It is very special that you have helped us in this way. It’s meant we’ve been able to buy equipment to not only replace that which was old and broken but also to buy specific items that are helpful to patients who are infirm and less mobile.

Thanks!

Sue

Sue Lane – Trust Fund Manager, The Norfolk Hospice
[email protected]
www.norfolkhospice.org.uk

I am sure you’ll agree that stories like this really show the value of purchasing a rod licence and the importance of becoming a member of the Angling Trust.

Tom

Tom Humphreys – Regional Angling Development Officer, (East of England) Angling Trust
07808 779470 – [email protected]

If you would like to find out how the Angling Trust can help with a project, club, event or charity please contact [email protected]. We’ve got a Team of Regional Angling Development Officers covering the whole of England and you are more than welcome to have a chat or send them an email – find your nearest one or via www.anglingtrust.net/getfishing/contact-us

About the Get Fishing Fund: Funded from fishing licence sales, grants of up to £2,500 are available for angling participation opportunities, including equipment for fisheries to meet Covid-19 safety guidelines, signage, fishing equipment, event resources, promotional material and more! See: www.anglingtrust.net/funding/get-fishing-fund/

The Environment Agency funds the Angling Trust to provide more opportunities for people to go fishing and encourage sales of rod fishing licences. Money from rod fishing licence sales is spent on improving fisheries habitat and angling infrastructure through projects like the Angling Improvement Fund and Fisheries Improvement Programme. You normally need a valid Environment Agency rod fishing licence if you are aged 13 or over and fish for salmon, trout, freshwater fish, smelt or eel in England (except the River Tweed), Wales, and the Border Esk and its tributaries in Scotland.  An annual fishing licence only costs £30 for up to 2 rods to fish for coarse fish & trout. For a salmon and sea trout licence it’s £82. Concessionary, short term and three rod coarse fishing licences are also available. Visit www.gov.uk/fishing-licences/buy-a-fishing-licence to buy one online. www.gov.uk/government/organisations/environment-agency

Sport England recognise the Angling Trust as the national governing body in England. It funds the work we do to promote active lifestyles and to maintain a regular participation habit through the sport of angling and in partnership with other organisations to deliver the National Angling Strategy.