NEW BLOG: Fishing helped my Peaceful Place members with early onset dementia access the outdoors, mental health and physical wellbeing – overcoming barriers to sport participation via the wonderful activity of angling

Blog Post: Claire Kelly at Peaceful Place

I’m Claire Kelly, the Sport4Health Lead at Peaceful Place – we’re an activity and social club for people who have early onset dementia.

We provide a range of activities both in the centre and in the community. It’s incredibly important to help our members – some of whom may face barriers to participation and find it difficult to be included in all sports that might help keep them both physically, and mentally stimulated.

Last year I tried to get my members involved in the wonderful sport of fishing.

This unfortunately was unsuccessful!

But now – since Jack Culpin has joined The Angling Trust as the East of England Regional Angling Development Officer, he has helped grow my angling network by putting me in touch with Rochford Angling Club.

Jack works with the Club who are one of his growing volunteer workforce in his Region’s campaign to help grow fishing.

The club are a Get Fishing Event Delivery Partner – this means a club, fishery or coach that can help organise and facilitate events funded by the Environment Agency or provided with the free fishing licence “waiver” that covers newcomers while they are at the event, taking part. Amazing!

On Wednesday 14th May we had our first visit to Rochford Angling Club’s waters and well, WOW! What an absolutely amazing day we had!

I was blown away with the dedication and engagement of the wonderfully helpful, friendly and informed angling community that exists at the club. What a wonderful little oasis that fit perfectly with the Peaceful Place ethos of helping allcomers overcome barriers to participation via the all-inclusive attitude we encountered.

Jack also joined us on the day, and to see my members have so much enjoyment was overwhelming. I cannot thank Jack, Rochford Angling Club, the Angling Trust and Environment Agency enough, and look forward to our return to take the next-steps on our angling journey!

Claire Kelly
Sport4Health Lead
Peaceful Place

Jack Culpin
Regional Angling Development Officer (East of England)
jack.culpin@anglingtrust.net
07808 779470

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.