Get Fishing for Wellbeing supports Social Prescribing Day 2025 – how angling can be a powerful tool for addressing social illnesses

On Social Prescribing Day 2025 the Angling Trust are highlighting how angling can be a powerful tool for addressing social illnesses such as health and wellbeing, isolation, and loneliness

Social Prescribing Day (March 19th in 2025) is an annual celebration of the people, organisations and communities who make social prescribing happen. Every year since 2019, thousands of local, national and international organisations, link workers, medical professionals, academics and students have taken part across the world to hold events, share ideas and highlight the impact of social prescribing on people and communities and raise awareness of what social prescribing is, how it works, and how it changes lives.

The Get Fishing for Wellbeing initiative by the Angling Trust emphasises how angling can boost mental health and wellbeing. Fishing offers a chance to escape the demands of daily life, surround oneself with nature, and engage in a meditative pastime. This can help reduce stress and anxiety, providing a much-needed “mental reset”.

“Most Youth Service professionals who have encountered the Get Hooked on Fishing scheme have sensed something special about the project. There is an apparent synergy of vision, commitment, process and tangible outcomes.”
Home Office youth work initiative – Positive Futures

This Social Prescribing Day, March 19th 2025 we are highlighting our Get Fishing for Wellbeing  project and its Approved Partner organisations that provide quality assured servicesto Health Service Professionals and Social Prescribing Link Workers. This activity means that consistently high-quality experiences and benefits of angling activity can be prescribed to people with mental health and wellbeing, and other social needs including loneliness, isolation and activity-limiting income.

“After a close friend died suddenly last year from Covid-19 I started getting anxiety attacks. The doctor said to get out into nature and try meditation. It’s hard to explain but fishing feels like I do both at the same time and it really helps.”
Attendee – Get Fishing Event 

Isolation and Loneliness

Angling can help combat isolation and loneliness by providing a social activity that brings people together. The Get Fishing for Wellbeing project promotes community engagement, creating opportunities for people to connect through fishing[1]. This can be particularly beneficial for those who feel isolated or lack companionship.

Social Prescribing

Social prescribing connects people to non-medical support to address issues like loneliness and stress. It involves activities such as angling, which can help individuals build social connections and improve their overall wellbeing. Social Prescribing Day celebrates the impact of these initiatives, highlighting how they can change lives by addressing the root causes of health problems. By integrating angling into social prescribing programs, communities can leverage the benefits of fishing to enhance social inclusion, reduce loneliness, and improve health outcomes.

Angling can help: Improve Focus, Achieve Relaxation, Reduce Anxiety, Reduce Truancy and Behaviour

Watch how it works

Angling Trust – We submitted a successful bid to Natural England to run 3 Get Fishing for Wellbeing Pilot Projects at Walthamstow Reservoir in London. The Project looks to improve people’s health and well-being by introducing them to angling, new friends and nature. It included the NHS 5 Ways of Well-being: Connect With Others, Be Physically Active, Learn a New Skill, Give to Others, and Pay Attention to the Present Moment. Participants now have the skills to go fishing and volunteer and mentor others to go fishing and improve their well-being too. Thanks to Thames Water, Shakespeare Fishing Tackle, The Environment Agency and Angling Direct who supported the day, and of course to Natural England for incorporating angling in their programme.

Angling Trust – watch Dean Asplin and Jimmy Willis from the Angling Trust explain how fishing is the perfect fit for social prescribing, and how this natural affinity between spending time next to water in blue-green spaces, and issues which fit with the social prescribing model can really help people and communities to gain benefits. This initiative attracted coverage from BBC’s The One Show and Jimmy

“If I’m ever feeling worried or anxious I’ll go to the pond and fish…fishing helped with my anxiety…it’s therapeutic”
Declan – Winner of BBC Uplifting Stories (11-15) – Watch Declan explain more about how fishing helped with mental health issues after a car crash in this video.

Would you like to know more about specific programs or initiatives related to angling and social prescribing?

Anyone who has been fishing will know how beneficial angling is at boosting mental health and wellbeing. Check out our Get Fishing for Wellbeing project and find advice and links on how to start fishing and find a list of Angling Trust ‘Get Fishing for Wellbeing – Approved’ delivery partners local to you.

More Info on Social Prescribing and the Get Fishing for Wellbeing Project

Get Fishing for Wellbeing
Find out more on how to provide or receive angling as a social prescription.

Get Fishing
Find beginner events and try angling – low or no cost with tackle and bait provided free on the day

Social Prescribing Day 2025 
All the info on the day, from the National Academy for Social Prescribing

What is Social Prescribing?
More detail on how this relatively recent approach is changing lives for the better

2025 Social Prescribing Day Toolkit
Download the campaign assets and guidance for Social Prescribing Day 2025

Get Fishing Instagram
See how much people enjoy going fishing, and the excitement and fun of spending time outdoors next to water

We now have over 40 Get Fishing for Wellbeing Approved Partners, who can prescribe or facilitate going fishing to combat social, physical and mental illness and wellbeing issues

Note: The content of this website is not intended to be a substitution for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your GP or other qualified healthcare professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, diagnosis or treatment. Never ignore professional medical advice or delay obtaining such advice because of something contained on this website. Similarly, angling is not a substitute for your GP or medication – if you need help with your mental health or wellbeing, always contact your doctor, get medical advice or call Samaritans on 116 123 or another organisation.

The Get Fishing campaign is funded by

The Angling Trust’s Get Fishing campaign to get more people fishing more often is 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 before you 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 to have the proper fishing licence before they take hold of the fishing rod or help the child fish with it.

Get Fishing is Proudly Supported by

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.

If there’s something that you cannot find here to help you start fishing or return to angling, please contact your local Regional Angling Development Officer – you can find the nearest one to where you want to go fishing here.