Angling Coaching Initiative Essex fishing sessions help newcomers get into fishing

Angling Coaching Initiative based in Essex has organised 20 coaching sessions during 2025. They have catered for everyone – from very young beginners to those whose hair is greying – ensuring an inclusive experience for all.

Throughout the year, ACI coaches taught students of all ages a wide range of fishing skills, working within the Angling Trust’s CAST award framework, with the aim of creating lifelong anglers. Well done, everyone!

Why this coaching work matters – The bigger picture

This coaching programme is more than just a way to pass on technical angling skills: it ties into a nationally significant effort to promote wellbeing, community, and inclusivity through fishing, as championed by the Angling Trust’s Get Fishing campaign.

Health, Wellbeing and Mental Health

Angling Trust’s Get Fishing campaign strongly emphasises how fishing can support mental health. For example, during Mental Health Awareness Week 2025, the Angling Trust highlighted survey findings showing that 90% of anglers feel more able to open up and talk about life challenges when fishing with a friend or relative.

Fishing is celebrated as a way to “reconnect with nature” and “switch off from the pressures of life.” In the words of some participants, time by the water helps “clear your head” and provides a restorative escape.

There is also a clear role for angling in social prescribing: structured fishing programmes (e.g., Get Fishing for Wellbeing) link with health services to provide therapeutic, community-based outdoor activity.

Community & Inclusion

Through its We Fish as One campaign, the Angling Trust is working to make angling accessible and welcoming to people from all backgrounds.

Projects such as the Angling Trust’s Building Bridges bring together families, young people, and community groups for coaching and fishing days. These events promote not just fishing skills, but also environmental awareness, community cohesion, and wellbeing.

Support for older adults & those at risk

Angling Trust has spotlighted how fishing benefits older adults, particularly those at risk of dementia. Research suggests that the calm, meditative nature of time by the water helps support cognition in later life. Coaching and introductory sessions can help older people re-engage with angling in a safe, structured way.

Preventing anti-social behaviour

The Mending Lines project, supported by Get Fishing, uses angling to engage young people in constructive activity. Over 15 months, it delivered 535 fishing sessions, diverting attention from anti-social behaviour and helping participants build confidence, focus, and a sense of purpose.

The emphasis is not just on catching fish — it’s about “fishing for wellbeing,” concentrating, being patient, and enjoying a meaningful outdoor activity.

Fishing is fun and gets people away from their screens and back into nature. Take a look at our Get Fishing events – there’s an event near you. All the Get Fishing events can be found here in our: Get Fishing event pages.

Our Get Fishing days are a great introduction to angling because you can simply turn up and fish and don’t need to bring any of your own fishing tackle or bait – it will all be provided on the day, by the event organiser.

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 Angling Direct, Exclusive Retail Partner
as we 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.