Environment Agency Get Fishing Fund helps grassroots angling groups

The Get Fishing Team’s funding plans have had nationwide effect – how the Environment Agency Get Fishing Fund helps grassroots angling groups

By James Roche, Regional Angling Development Manager, North of England

A special Get Fishing Fund we helped launch in 2020 means the Environment Agency has now supported over 200 grassroots angling projects by re-investing a whopping £300,000 of rod licence money with angling clubs, fisheries, schools and charities and given hundreds more people the chance to give fishing a go all across the country.

A Get Fishing Fund award means organisations can buy equipment, tackle, bait and anything else needed to put on events where it’s easy for as many people as possible to come and get a fantastic, high-quality first experience of fishing.

Everyone is shown how to use the appropriate fishing tackle to catch their own fish and return them safely themselves, and which rod licence they need to ‘go it alone’ afterwards.

Families are also encouraged to sign-up for Get Fishing newsletters with regular encouragement to go fishing again, as well as tips and videos about the next steps to becoming a fully-fledged licenced angler.

A Get Fishing Fund grant facilitated charity POINT to run a whole range of angling activities and give young people with additional needs or disabilities the chance to get into fishing.

Chris Hepburn, POINT Activities Manager told me

“The Get Fishing Fund has been a huge success and enabled over 100 children and young people to get into a sport that they never thought they would have been able to”.

Sue Lane, Trust Fund Manager at another amazing project that’s benefited from Environment Agency funds, fed back to me

“The Norfolk Hospice has run three fishing groups for six weeks, with five patients at each session using the correct fishing tackle we were able to purchase. We’ve even had a waiting list because fishing has given patients the opportunity to take part in meaningful activity which helps improve their mood, general wellbeing, encourages physical activity and – importantly too – social interaction.”

More info on the Get Fishing Fund at www.anglingtrust.net/get-fishing-fund

James

James Roche, Angling Development Manager (North of England) Angling Trust
[email protected]

Related Content:

Liverpool based charity Sean’s Place was one of 140 projects supported by the Environment Agency via the Angling Trust Get Fishing fund – the charity uses fishing s to improve men’s mental health and well-being across Sefton and Liverpool City Region: www.anglingtrust.net/2022/01/17/get-fishing-fund-funded-project-seans-place

Fishing has many benefits and is an effective tool to improve mental health and wellbeing of children, young people and adults alike. Bradford Community Play & Development Service are offering bespoke fishing experiences to improve: Confidence building, skills development, co-ordination, conduct, behaviour, patience, concentration and resilience: www.anglingtrust.net/2022/01/17/get-fishing-fund-funded-project-city-of-bradford-metropolitan-district-council

Exeter and District Angling Association successfully applied for funding from the Get Fishing Fund, launched in 2020 by the Angling Trust in partnership with the Environment Agency as a way of investing fishing licence income to create more opportunities to get into fishing: www.anglingtrust.net/2022/01/17/get-fishing-fund-funded-project-exeter-and-district-angling-association

POINT is a charity that supports families who have children and/or young people with disabilities/additional needs. The organisation runs activities in Oldham, Greater Manchester including a group to help the young people it supports to learn the basics of fishing, including health and safety around the equipment: www.anglingtrust.net/2022/01/17/get-fishing-fund-funded-project-point

Support from the Environment Agency via the Angling Trust Get Fishing Fund has meant the Norfolk Hospice could buy equipment needed for the fishing group, including specific items that are helpful to patients who are infirm and less mobile: www.anglingtrust.net/2022/01/17/get-fishing-fund-funded-project-the-norfolk-hospice

The Get Fishing campaign to get more people fishing is the Angling Trust‘s campaign to grow participation in angling. Annually over 35,000 people get the opportunity to fish at hundreds of fun, safe and friendly events funded by the Environment Agency from fishing licence income as part of the National Angling Strategic Services contract with the Angling Trust, and Sport England. Children under 13 do not need a licence, and licences for children aged between 13 and 16 are free but you still need to register and receive a licence in order to go fishing. You can get a licence for the full year, for 8 days (ideal for holidays!) or just a day’s fishing.

NOTE: Although young children who are under 13 year old do not need a licence to fish, the person supervising them needs the proper fishing licence to take hold of the rod or to help the child fish with it.

The Angling Trust’s ‘Get Fishing’ campaign is proudly supported by
Shakespeare, Exclusive Tackle Partner and Angling Direct, Exclusive Retail Partner
as we all work towards getting more people fishing, more often.