Winning Projects 2015-16
Winning Projects – Round 1 – 2015-16
Judging Criteria – Round 1:
The scheme was very popular and regrettably many deserving projects could not be funded in this first round. In making the awards, the judging panel chose projects whose completion would support a wide variety of themes in the National Angling Strategy, as well as offering significant new opportunities to go fishing. All of the funded projects involve a significant financial or in-kind (volunteer time or donated materials) contribution made by the club or fishery itself. Future rounds of the Fund are likely to be ‘themed’ to support particular areas of need in angling.
Round 1 Award Winners:
Penketh & Old Hall Angling Society
The improved facilities will enable the club to increase the community partners it can work with, including schools
The award made to Penketh & Old Hall Angling Society will allow the club to complete the improvement of Brownlee’s Pool near Warrington by replacing dilapidated wooden deck structures with more accessible and durable hard standing. The improved facilities will enable the club to increase the community partners it can work with, including schools.
Paul Bryan, Club Secretary – POHAS said: “The fishery improvement work has been completed and is already being used by members and groups we have as guests. Everyone we have seen and/or spoken to thinks it looks great and more importantly gives more space for more anglers to fish, as well as enhancing the local area for the residents who live nearby who pass through the area via the public footpath. We have local schools using the facilities as well as local NHS services and this allows them to offer additional spaces to their groups. “We couldn’t have got this work done without the support from the Fishery Improvement Fund, and now it is completed we can continue to extend our services and in time, offer more coaching”.
Kings Lynn Angling Association Ltd
Kings Lynn AA replaced dilapidated fishing platforms with large, safe and durable hard-standing areas which allow families to fish together safely and provide a better coaching facility
Bear Lake is part of KLAA’s popular Shepherd’s Port complex, situated close to the coast in an area popular with tourists. Funding will be used to replace the present dilapidated wooden swims with large, safe and durable hard-standing areas, which have proved popular at other locations. Once in place the club will organise regular coaching events to make the most of the new facilities.
Ashley Brown, Secretary of King’s Lynn AA Ltd writes: “A platform which was hard to fish from and a potential safety risk, was transformed to a larger safer swim which will help our older anglers who are not disabled but not so steady on there feet. The swims are now larger so we hope this will encourage more father sons or daughters to be able to fish together – something we could not offer on this lake previously. We plan on using this lake for coaching events starting with our first one during national fishing month. Although not finished members’ feedback has been positive and they can now see something that their rod licence has gone towards.”
Wandle Piscators
A new disabled fishing platform will be installed here at Cannon Hill Lake
With the installation of the new angling platforms, Cannon Hill Lake will become the first fishery in the London Borough of Merton to support disabled anglers. The club will also be planting oxygenating weed and repairing existing floating reed beds to increase the fishery’s resilience to summer algal blooms.
Will Tall, Cannon Hill Common Lake Manager for The Wandle Piscators describes progress: “We have used the Fisheries Improvement Fund to repair/replant six floating reed-bed islands, plant out 60 native water lilies and 500 bunches of oxygenating weed in the lake and replant 10m of the lakes marginal shelf with flag irises, reed mace, marsh marigold and water mint. We have also purchased the materials to build three disabled angling platforms (work due to begin 30 May), a launching trolley for the club’s work boat and a petrol driven brush cutter which will be used to cut back the vegetation along the lake’s South bank edge in late July.
The Tring Anglers
The club purchased a secure metal shed for the permanent storage of fishing and maintenance equipment
Tring Anglers fish 13 miles of the Grand Union canal close to Hemel Hempstead, Aylesbury and Dunstable. Storage of club equipment had become an acute problem when an existing storage arrangement came to an end. Using their award, the club have purchased a secure metal shed for the permanent storage of fishing and maintenance equipment. The club will also intend to replace their present worn-out gazebo with a commercial quality item which will bring a professional look to club events.
The club have secured other grants and support from local organisations to complement their award. Tring Anglers estimate that club events introduce more than 100 people of all ages into angling each year, with a substantial proportion going on to become members of the club.
Dick Pilkinton from The Tring Anglers says: “We need to install the shelves and hooks plus the lighting, but the new shed is now dry and secure. The club would like to thank Tring Park Cricket club for providing the plot and Angling Trust for the grant enabling us to purchase the shed. We have now transferred our event stuff from peoples garages and porches to a proper home”.
Kidderminster & District Angling Association
One of the KDAA’s new coaching pegs with a large platform on the River Severn at Bewdley
Once a prized fishery, the pegs on the Winnals ‘Section A’ of the River Severn at Bewdley are overgrown and practically unfishable. KDAA intend to clear the pegs with a massive volunteer effort and requested support through the Fund for materials to build 30 quality platforms and lay hard standing suitable for parking. The club’s efforts to restore the section have created considerable local interest and it is estimated will generate 600 additional fishing trips every year.
Steve Rowen of KDAA reports: “We have made a good start on the project to open the Winnals stretch of the River Severn, clearing the car park and making a start on the majority of pegs. One of the coaching pegs with a large platform was actually finished yesterday and the club aims to have another 7 platforms including 1 disabled peg erected before the season commences, and 15 of the 30 pegs open by June 16th. The work has been hard and all completed by volunteers. The money granted by the Fishery Improvement fund has greatly assisted in making all this possible.”
Hutton Rudby Fly Fishing Club
Underwater fish cover features were constructed from trees cut down to let more light into the river – this will encourage insect life
Hutton Rudby Fly Fishing Club will use their award for habitat improvements on the Junior Section of the River Leven near Middlesbrough, including commissioning specialist advice from The Tees Rivers Trust, together with materials and equipment. The club also plans to offer free fishing sessions on local lakes to local school pupils as part of their ‘Increasing Junior Membership’ project.
John Gifford, of HRFFC says: “Substantial progress has been made on the three parts of the project, Increasing Junior Membership, which has been funded by the Angling Trust Fisheries Improvement Fund. Ten pull-rope aids have been installed along the Club’s whole stretch of river to make access to the river easier where the banks are high and steep. The work by the Tees Rivers Trust to improve the river habitat along the Junior Section of river started on 18th May. Where the river bank had been eroded by the out flow from a tributary beck it has been reinforced with brushwood and wired logs so as to also provide cover for fish. Underwater fish cover features have also been constructed from the trunks of trees cut down to let more light into the river to encourage insect life. This work, together with the construction of a simple fish pass at an existing weir is expected to be complete by the end of the first week in June.
There has been a very successful first fishing tuition day for local scouts and schoolchildren on 24th May at Ayton stillwater. This is a joint venture between Ayton Angling Association and Hutton Rudby Fly Fishing Club. with the support of the Angling Trust. Ayton stillwater, where the event was held, is an excellent fishery with two connected lakes where a lot of work has been done to provide safe and easy access for all anglers and specially for disabled anglers. Twelve youngsters from local schools and Scout troops attended the event and were given one to one tuition in fly casting, fishing and fly tying by the Angling Trust’s Jeff Metcalfe and Ayton and Hutton Rudby club members. They were keen learners and this produced excellent results: six caught fish and all learned the elements of good casting. It was noticed that the girls’ and boys’ performances in both casting and catching fish were equal. Another tuition day is planned on the Ayton stillwater on 31st May followed by two days of river fly fishing tuition on the River Leven in June.”
Deeping St James Angling Club
The club has erected otter-proof fencing and gates and has improved its parking
Over the last 5 years the club has made significant improvements to Horseshoe Lake, including much restocking. However losses from otter predation had reached a point where fishing was becoming unsustainable. With its award from the Fund the club has erected otter-proof fencing and gates and made improvements to ground conditions for improved parking.
Ray Torrington, from Deeping St James Angling Club gives us an update on progress: “It was fortunate that the Angling Trust announced the fishery improvement fund at just the right moment. The club committee also made an unprecedented decision to write to all its members to ask for donations to the project. We were delighted at the response and were able to raise over £5000 towards the cost. With the confirmation of winning an award from the Angling Trust the club were in a position to purchase all the materials needed to erect the fence. It is with pleasure that I can confirm that the fence is now in place, which gives great peace of mind to the club’s members. The club can now continue with on-going improvements to the lake and looks forward to more anglers enjoying this superb fishery.”
Bishop’s Stortford & District Angling Society
Chalk treatment helped reverse the decline in catches at Malcolm Barker lake
The Malcolm Barker Lake at Bishop’s Stortford was once a good tench water. Sadly the population has been hit hard by the category 2 parasite Ergasilus sieboldi and declining catches have affected the club’s membership. To help reverse this decline, the club requested financial support from the Fund to implement recommendations made by professional fisheries consultants. These include the installation of aerators, chalk treatment, the removal of a rapidly expanding pike population and restocking of the lake with tench and bream from authorised suppliers. The venue is an attractive proposition for anglers of all ages and abilities, with good parking, a toilet, and flat and even swims, including two suitable for disabled anglers.
Clive Costema, Fishery Manager of BSDAS reports that the removal of 22 pike to 13lbs and application of ultra fine chalk has been completed. 50lbs of bream from 2lb to 3.5lbs (18 fish) have been stocked and in the near future 175lbs of tench will also be introduced. The Society has also purchased an aerator and a generator.
Clive Costema said: “The Society will keep records of catches reported, numbers of anglers, carry out an exercise to control the growth of lily pads, do water quality checks and ensure day to day maintenance of the fishery.” He adds: “Bishop’s Stortford is a fast growing town and the Society is making it known that there is angling facilities on the doorstep. “I am sure my Secretary has sent our thanks for the grant but once again “Thank You”
Mere Lane Fishing Academy
Specialised frames were purchased to enable those with limited use of upper limbs to fish independently
Two new lakes are being constructed at Mere Lane, near Preston, to provide safe, accessible facilities for regular Saturday junior sessions, for scout groups and for patients visiting the fishery from the Spinal Injuries Centre at Southport Hospital and as an integral part of rehabilitation programmes. The Academy’s award will contribute to the cost of 8 disabled pegs, disabled toilet facilities and specialised frames to enable those with limited use of upper limbs to fish independently.
Glenys Thompson tells us: “I am pleased to report that we have taken delivery of our new disabled portaloo and have also purchased 4 specialised frames for use by disabled anglers in wheelchairs. We have also sown the grass seed around our two new lakes and it is growing well (a little warm weather would speed this process up a little!). Once the grass is established then the building of the disabled pegs will commence. Hopefully in the next 2 to 3 weeks”.
Southlake Angling Society
This project at Redlands School Pond just outside Reading city centre will open up coarse fishing to young people and families in the area at an affordable price. The Award will help to fund nine recycled plastic fishing platforms, 5 solar aerators and fishing equipment suitable for beginners. The club will be promoting the facilities through its website, social media and via links to local tackle shops, schools and clubs.
An enormous amount of work has taken place to transform the fishery from what was until very recently a ‘wilderness’. Simon Stobie reports that: “The work is now 99% complete and it’s looking good down there! The new platforms are in place and the aerators will be up and running by this weekend. All being well the lake will be ready to open at the start of June”. The club is looking to put up some of its members as Angling Trust Volunteer Champions.
Heronbrook Fisheries
Heronbrook Fisheries in Staffordshire has encouraged and provided schools with activity days for the past 20 years, and is also used by the Neuro-Psychiatry Unit at Stoke as part of its therapy programme. The Fishery Improvement Fund award will contribute to a much larger project to de-silt the Island Pool, repair eroded banks and complete 20 new fully accessible concrete pegs. As a result of the works the Pool will become an ideal venue for school groups and those new to fishing, and is expected to deliver several thousand new fishing opportunities each year. Until now, anglers had had to walk several hundred meters to a group of 12 pegs, putting them effectively out of reach of all but the most determined anglers. Part of the award will be used to build a bridge, bringing these particularly spacious pegs ‘on-line’ for less mobile anglers.
The bridge is now in place and according to owner Neil Dale: “…has made a vast difference to anyone who wanted to fish there and had mobility problems”.
The major de-silting and bank stabilisation project is 60% complete and the fishery has recently received a generous donation of 1,500 tonnes of clay from a local firm to line banks.
Makins Fishery
Makins Fishery, near Nuneaton will use their award to increase the number of accessible pegs on Lake 1, giving disabled anglers the chance to draw pegs currently restricted to more able-bodied anglers. The project will be delivered using the centre’s own staff and volunteers, including regular open match fishermen and season ticket holders. The fishery has invested in an ongoing programme of access improvements including 2 toilet blocks with disabled facilities and an accessible café and tackle shop.
Work is progressing well. Alan McDiarmid reports: “The Fishery has concreted-in 17 pegs so far and has reinforced the bank for another 6 or 7. The pathways to pegs have also been graded to allow wheelchair access. This work, which has taken around 3 weeks, has benefitted from the help of several volunteers and free machine hire. Even though the pegs are not finished we have had noticeably more anglers using the pegs on the side of the lake we have concreted, they appear to like the larger pegs even though it is on the end of the lake that fishes hardest for carp. We have also had 2 anglers in wheelchairs fishing the new pegs and they have appreciated being able to fish this bigger lake.”
The Taw Fishing Club
Taw Fishing Club owns some 3 miles of trout water on the Upper Taw in Mid Devon. Despite attempts to recruit new members, the club has an ageing membership and for many, access to the river, scaling overgrown banks typically 8-10 feet in height, is extremely difficult. With support from the Fund, TFC will complete a project to build and install a series of robust, galvanised steel ladders down to the water. The work will transform the access to the water and generate new fishing visits by existing members and guests, and will allow the club to offer fishing days to charities supporting the physical and mental recovery of service personnel.
Nick Payne told us: “The club has begun groundwork to clear undergrowth ready for the installation of 3 ladders. This follows a survey of the river to determine the number and position of ladders required, and the production of a detailed specification and timetable agreed with the project engineer.”
Bridgwater Angling Association
Bridgwater AA will be using their award to restock their water at Combwich in Somerset following devastating otter predation at the lake. Money will also be used to install and plumb new a new toilet, helping to make the fishery more attractive and accessible for disabled anglers and families.
Get Hooked on Fishing (Bedfordshire)
With its award, the charity Get Hooked on Fishing plan to enlarge two existing fishing platforms, install two additional ones and improve pathways at its new project site at Swiss Garden in Biggleswade. It is anticipated that the project, delivered in partnership, will have a particular impact on participation by young people, families, older people and those with a variety of limiting disabilities.
Milton Keynes Angling Association
This project is nothing less than the creation of a brand new fishing venue. MKAA – a Clubmark club – already runs a strong junior focused programme and would like to promote family fishing opportunities at the Ashland’s Lakes water situated a short distance from Milton Keynes centre. Through the Fund, the club has requested a grant for the purchase of fish stocks. Once established the venue will be accessible to the local community via day tickets and also available to those enrolling on MKAA’s Let’s Fish programmes.
St. Chads Fishing Club
The club has a cormorant predation problem at their water in Draycott, Derbyshire, resulting in poor catch rates in 2013 that threatened the viability of the lake as an inexpensive local venue. Following the advice of the Angling Trust’s Fishery Management Advisor, the club requested a grant from the Fund to construct 10 fish refuges and to restock the lake with carp.
Note: At the time that this content was written, and quotes were provided from Fund winners the Angling Improvement Fund was known as the “Fishery Improvement Fund”
Winning projects – Round 2 – 2015-16
Fourteen more angling projects were supported through Round 2 of the Angling Improvement Fund, sharing £50,000 of funding made available by the Environment Agency from Rod Licence sales in England.
In this Round clubs and fisheries were asked to submit project ideas on the themes of ‘Protecting Fisheries From Predation’ or ‘Getting Kids Into Fishing’. 81 entries were received in total and the best were chosen on the strength of the project need, the angling impact (protecting or boosting participation), our confidence in the applicant’s delivery and evidence of complementary cash or in-kind funding.
A majority of the winning organisations had made earlier unsuccessful bids in Round 1, so we are glad their persistence paid off!
Round 2 Award Winners:
Christchurch Angling Club
Feeding crucian carp on the top lake at Christchurch AC’s Holtwood Ponds complex. The club is getting ready to install otter proof fencing around the three ponds at the fishery to protect fish stocks
Christchurch AC will use its award to erect otter-proof fencing to protect crucian and tench stocks at its Holtwood Lake complex.
Conservation has always been at the heart of what the club does and the fencing will be designed and built to do its job with as little disturbance as possible to other wildlife.
The project has already attracted a lot of interest from both existing members and visiting anglers and once the work is complete the club will be working on a number of participation initiatives.
Earl of Harrington’s Angling Club
The Alvaston Park Lake is rather featureless. Earl of Harrington’s AC will use their award to install floating reed beds and fish refuge cages – improving fishing quality and the general attractiveness of the venue
Earl of Harrington’s AC in Derby have a development plan in place for the total improvement of its Alvaston Park fishery.
Having carried out earlier habitat enhancements, the club has won funding to purchase and install a large number of fish refuge cages topped with pre-planted reed beds.
The cages will provide fish with much needed shelter, and with careful positioning will give anglers (and particularly juniors) opportunities to practise margin-fishing skills.
The reed beds will also make the lake more attractive, therefore benefitting anglers and other park users.
The club will be working with the Park Friends Group and volunteers from the NHS Angling4Health project to deliver the improvements.
Kingsbury Water Park
New fish refuges will help protect fish stocks at Kingfisher Pool, Kingsbury Water Park (Warwickshire County Council)
Cormorant predation has caused significant damage to the fishery at Kingsbury Water Park (near Tamworth) and the council cannot continue to spend public money buying fish stock without addressing this problem.
The award from the Improvement Fund will pay for floating fish refuge islands for the pools together with a portable Agrilaser bird scarer.
Volunteers will work with the Park’s team of Rangers to construct, install and anchor the refuges.
Once completed, the works will be advertised extensively and feedback will be collected from anglers to ascertain the success of the measures.
Potteries Angling Society
Safari Lake, Stoke-on-Trent (Potteries Angling Society): fish refuges, marginal planting and new stock will help to protect a once-popular Midlands venue hit by avian predation
As a safe and local fishing venue situated on the edge of a large housing scheme, Safari Lake at Stoke on Trent had traditionally been popular with club members and youngsters.
However the lake has faced heavy predation over the last 18 months by goosanders, resulting in a significant reduction in fish stocks.
The club’s award will allow them to install fish refuges and improve marginal planting, and to complement this the Environment Agency has offered a supply of fish at no cost.
Holme Brook Valley Park Angling Club
Labour MP Toby Perkins supported a recent Open Day hosted by Holme Brook Valley Park Angling Club and received some casting tuition to boot. It worked as he caught a fish!
Holme Brook Valley Park is an urban water situated within the town boundary of Chesterfield Borough Council.
As Phase 2 of its 5-year development plan, the club applied to the Fund for a grant for the purchase of floating reed beds. As well as reducing predation, the club feels that the proximity of the islands will help young anglers to develop casting and accuracy skills.
The Award will also help to pay for a club members to become qualified, licensed coaches.
As well as planning a series of open days, the club is also working with the Borough Council to establish a ‘Have a Go’ day, where youngsters will be able to try not only angling but also other sports available in the Park. If enough children become enthused by angling, the club is keen to set up a junior section.
Abington Angling Club
Abington Park Lake, Northampton. Abington AC will be undertaking a number of measures to combat avian predation and crayfish damage at this once notable roach fishery
Abington Angling Club applied for funding to reverse the impact of fish-eating birds and crayfish at its Abington Park Lake fishery near Northampton.
As recently as six years ago, the water was a noted roach fishery. However surveys conducted by the Environment Agency have indicated a severe depletion in the once healthy silver fish population.
The club will use its funding to purchase 12 fish refuges and will also look at installing spawning boards. The club will also be purchasing crayfish traps under license from the Environment Agency, and volunteers will devote at least 15 hours a week monitoring them.
Funds will also be spent on a boat to help with the placement and management of these items. The local council has granted permission for the felling of a tree used by cormorants for roosting and will cover the cost of this work as a contribution to the project.
Hadleigh & District Angling Society
Bullocky Fen, Suffolk. Hadleigh and District Angling Society will be erecting otter fencing to protect fish stocks at this much-valued stillwater
Hadleigh and District AS has won an award from the Fund to erect otter-proof fencing at its fishery at Bullocky Fen, Layham, Suffolk.
The club commenced work on the project 18 months ago by clearing a pathway and levelling banks, and is now position to purchase materials and make a start on the fencing proper.
The club is confident of success because where fencing has been installed on its other waters, they have seen stock levels improve and an increase in the quality of fishing, and this in turn has boosted membership as anglers outside the normal recruitment area have joined the club.
Hadleigh and District AS have worked extremely hard to secure funding and other support from a variety of sources to complement grants.
River Eden & District Fisheries Association (REDFA)
Avian predation on the River Eden catchment: regurgitated contents of cormorant that left the water at speed – sticklebacks from a Carlisle pool
As a large rural catchment in close proximity to an extensive coastline, the River Eden faces a severe threat from cormorant and goosanders and predation of fish stocks was one of the key concerns voiced in the Eden Angler Survey of 2014.
As part of its Area Licence (which covers 10 fisheries/licensees and over 50km of water) REDFA has resumed twice yearly bird counts but is hindered by out of date maps and poor boundary information.
The award from the Fund will be used to produce new updated GIS maps for use by participating clubs and fisheries.
Fishing for trout and grayling on some of the Eden’s more exposed and heavily predated waters has reduced noticeably in recent years, but it is hoped this can be reversed as the Area Licence is delivered and fish stocks repopulate.
South Cerney Angling Club
South Cerney Angling Club in Gloucestershire will merge two stock ponds to create a new coaching lake for young anglers
Situated at the heart of Cotswold Water Park, the taster days put on by South Cerney are always very well attended but the club has struggled to find a suitable facility to deliver coaching to children.
Using its award, the club plans to merge two existing stock ponds into one purpose built coaching lake, and will then install accessible platforms along one bank.
The club will be working closely with the Angling Trust and existing partners, including the Environment Agency, Active Gloucestershire and local schools and scout groups to promote the new facility and deliver more weekly fishing use.
Smithills Angling Club
Headmaster at Smithills School, Bolton Mr Alec Cottrill presents young pupil Emilo Boaro with his CAST Award and Best Improver trophy, courtesy of the CRT
Through this project Smithills AC, based at Smithills School in Bolton, will work closely with partners including Bolton & District Angling Association, the Canal and Rivers Trust (CRT) and Curley’s Fishery to host angling activities for young people and families at a range of safe local venues.
The award will specifically support the purchase of basic coarse and game fishing equipment for loan to young anglers, as well as safety equipment and coaching aids to assist in dry/indoor sessions.
Funding will also be used to train new coaches up to qualified, licensed Level 1 and 2 standard. The club will also link in with other secondary schools in the area to offer taster sessions and help them set up their own angling activities.
CRT is a major partner in the project, providing access to canal facilities, working parties and marketing and promotion. Coaching activities will be backed up by skills awards (CAST and Aim) and Sports Leader qualifications and a key goal will be to signpost young people to other clubs, to ensure their interest in fishing is sustained.
Get Hooked on Fishing (Peterborough)
A fun day’s fishing at Orton Pond, Peterborough, location of a funded project proposed by the charity Get Hooked on Fishing. There is a big demand in the area for family fishing activities
This project aims to increase the number of children and young people in Peterborough taking part in fishing, and satisfy a clear demand from local children and families for angling activities.
At the heart of the project, GHoF will run 4 six-week angling programmes at Orton Pond (a small purpose-built coaching pond owned by Nene Park Trust) covering coarse and lure fishing.
As well as basic fishing skills, the sessions will develop planning, communication and team-working skills, and provide an opportunity for young people to mentor other learners.
The award will be used to purchase coarse and lure fishing tackle sets, plus bait, and to pay for licensed Level 1 and 2 angling coaching.
Building on these programmes, GHoF will then support young anglers to sustain their angling through links with angling clubs, volunteering and coaching opportunities and further session delivery.
Astwood Bank Angling Club
Support from the Improvement Fund will enable Astwwod Bank AC to repair and replace platforms at its Wood Bevington fishery, making it suitable for junior matches and events
At present Astwood Bank Angling Club in Worcesteshire are unable to host junior matches and events at its Bevington fishery due to the poor state of the platforms on one side of the pool.
The Award will allow the club to repair/replace these and in so doing will complete Phase III of the fishery’s redevelopment. The venue will offer children the ability to learn methods aimed at targeting roach, bream, perch, tench, and crucian carp.
The club feels that equipped with these wide-ranging skills, children will be much more likely to remain in angling and perhaps form the next generation of club members.
The club is very committed to this project: the platforms will be installed by a club member who will be giving his services free of charge and club members will carry out the labour tasks. The club will cover the costs of plant hire.
Astwood Bank has one licensed Level 2 coach who is willing to tutor junior members and has offered part-funding to other members towards the costs of their Level 1 coach training costs.
Ayton Angling Association
The award won by Ayton Angling Association will go to improve coaching capacity and facilities at its Larners Lake fishery in North Yorkshire
Ayton Angling Association, located in North Yorkshire, is becoming more and more involved with scout groups and local schools and offers drastically reduced fees for junior members and students.
The club presently has 8 Volunteer Champions, four of whom are taking a Level 1 coach training course. Part of the club’s award will help pay for two of these volunteers to take their Level 2 qualification later in the year.
A proportion of the award will also help the club improve facilities at its Larners Lake, in particular to install a compostable toilet, putting the club in a better a position to apply for ‘Fishmark’ accreditation. Once complete, the project will allow Larners Lake to become one of the most accessible trout fisheries in the area with good parking, toilet facilities and disabled access, supported by a number of qualified licensed coaches.
The club also hopes to offer the water to Talent Pathway projects run by other coaches with junior learners. Significantly, the improvements will not only support Ayton AA, but will also assist events run in conjunction with neighbouring Hutton Rudby Fly Fishing Club, which won funding for river-based habitat improvement work in Round 1 of the Fund.
Gipping Valley Angling Club
Gipping Valley Angling Club in Suffolk will be undertaking various works to bring Maypole Farm Lake up to standard for junior coaching activities. The new car park is ready to be started. This photo shows club members with the digger driver and landowner
Gipping Valley AC (GVAC) works with local schools and runs popular ‘Fish Club’ sessions most weekends. Its success coaching young anglers in Suffolk is nationally acclaimed and many of the Suffolk County anglers competing at National level come from the club.
The club has a proven record of empowering youngsters and many go on to join GVAC and to represent the club on its Committee.
The club’s Maypole Farm Lake fishery is only 5-10 minutes drive from the large market town of Stowmarket and is rich in wildlife.
It offers huge potential for junior angling development (and is in reach of three high schools in the town) but sadly the venue is presently too hazardous to use for coaching.
The award will change all this: funding will help pay for re-sloping gradients, expanding the size of existing platforms, clearing trees for better access and visibility and to make a new car parking area. The club has a history of delivery on similar projects and will work closely with the Angling Trust to market the facility and increase attendance.
Winning Projects – Round 3 – 2015-16
Otter Fencing Projects:
Abingdon and Oxford Anglers Alliance
The AIF award has enabled the completion of 1,000m of otter fencing at the club’s Marlborough Pool,6 miles from Oxford. Otters have been attacking the stock of carp for the past 2 years, having a serious impact on the fishing at this popular venue. Even assistance from Oxford University by way of purpose-built scarers did little to prevent the otters taking carp.
Interestingly, since the fence was completed the club has noticed an increase in bird activity around the lake with many ducks and other small water birds now nesting within the safety of the new fence. The club is planning on introducing new fish to replace those lost to the otters.
Abingdon’s new otter fence has protected fish stocks and increased bird numbers.
Blakemere Leisure, Shropshire
The husband and wife team that run Blakemere Leisure, a rare but successful natural big fish day ticket water near Whitchurch, Shropshire, have witnessed intermittent otter visits over the last 6 years. The 8-acre mere is fed by an old Roman spring and is home to large carp and tench with anglers regularly visiting it from far and wide. The new otter proof fence, supported by the AIF award, is around 1,500m in length and now fully encircles this natural and unspoilt water. The owners have plans to create a new smaller 3-acre pool aimed at attracting the local community and young anglers that will be stocked with crucian carp, tench and large roach.
An otter fence now protects the natural big fish water at Blakemere.
Chelmsford Angling Association
The Willows Lake is home to some large carp and bream and is one of Chelmsford AA’s more popular venues. AIF funding was given to help the Association install a new otter proof fence, a welcome addition to an existing fence that was erected primarily to stop fish escaping into the adjoining river Blackwater during floods. Club members spent many days clearing the way for the fence installation and are very pleased with the new protection offered at this lake. The Association have raised thousands of pounds in recent years in aid of the RNLI and Essex Air Ambulance. The new fence will allow the Association to continue to extend these types of activities in the future.
Chelmsford club members got stuck in at Willows Lake to make way for their new AIF funded fence.
Harrogate & Claro Conservative Angling Association
The AIF award will enable this club to complete a large otter-proof fence at its 60-acre Lingerfield Coarse Lake, an old gravel pit. The club had already installed 3,100m of mesh fence, dug 3km of trenches and erected 950 posts but to complete the project needed to install an automatic gate. Club members have undertaken all the work themselves spread over many weekends. The club now has plans to recommence its ‘Carp School’ for young anglers, which had been suspended due to the loss of numerous large carp, some of which were over thirty pounds in weight.
A club member demonstrates the new electric gate for entry into Ripon Sailing Club.
Hull & District Anglers’ Association
Windmill Pond is situated on the south bank of the Humber estuary near New Holland and has historically been a popular fishery for anglers living on both sides of the Humber. It was inundated with saltwater during an unprecedented tidal-surge in late 2013 resulting in a total fish kill. The Association has now been given permission by the EA and Natural England to restock the venue and enclose it with a secure otter proof fence. Following this work, part funded with their AIF award, the Association plan to use the venue to hold their 24 hour residential ‘Carp-School’, social evening events and match and specimen competitions, all aimed at re-attracting lost anglers.
Jacklands Fishing Lakes, Bristol
This small family run fishery, located just 3 miles from the M5 south of Bristol offers a range of incentives to encourage people into fishing including taster sessions, group activities and Family Fishing days. Over the past 4 years otters have been regularly seen at the venue resulting in the decimation of the carp and other fish stocks. Otter fencing has already been installed on three sides of the lake and the AIF award will allow for it to completed. Plans are in place to restock the lakes with crucian carp, as part of the EA/Angling Trust initiative ‘Ark site for Crucian Carp’.
Jacklands fishery aims to become an ‘ARK’ conservation site for crucian carp now they can prevent otter predation.
Kingfisher Lakes (1987) Ltd, Hampshire
Famous for being the venue where the current UK record freshwater eel was captured in 1978, Kingfisher Lake has seen carp to over 30lbs fall victim to otter predation. The award will be added to the ‘one-off’ contributions made by members, plus additional money invested by the fishery itself. 1,800m of otter fencing will be erected around the most vulnerable areas of this wonderful lake and is part of an ongoing series of developments at the venue. The work is being undertaken by the club’s loyal band of retiree members affectionately known as ‘The Last of the Summer Wine Work Party Volunteers’.
Lakefield Angling Society, Essex
Lakefield Angling Society will be using their award to construct a new 850-metre otter proof fence around Brett Water, a 1.5-hectare in-line fishery based just outside South Woodham Ferrers and rented by the club for the past 45 years. Following a number of otter attacks in recent times, this project is an urgent addition to their on-going development plan for the fishery. The total cost of the project was over £15,000 with the club contributing a large amount of its own funds, helped by a welcome donation from the landlord. Since the fence was completed members have regularly reported seeing a Barn Owl sitting on the many fence posts as it surveys the land for its next meal.
Best unfunded projects from Rounds 1 & 2
Alders Farm Fishery, Milton Keynes
Alders farm Fishery is keen to introduce local children to angling. The fishery applied for funding in Round 1 to enable the refurbishment of the old ‘Pumphouse’ building by Ash Lake as a base for coaching days and practical indoor sessions. This was largely complete by the beginning of 2016 however, so this new grant will be put towards the installation of new pegs and pathway improvements, enabling coaching sessions to be delivered in a safe manner. Part of the grant will also go towards the purchase of new ‘starter kits’ to support angling taster sessions.
Bolton-Le-Sands Angling Club, Lancashire
Over the past two winters cormorants have been regular visitors to this club’s fishery leaving very few fish in the lake. As a result of this, membership has declined and the club’s junior section, which has been in existence for over 40 years, has all but collapsed. The club’s AIF award will pay for the installation of fish refuges and floating islands, and once in place, the club will restock the lake with a new supply of fish. Bolton-Le-Sands will also be upgrading some of the old pegs to improve safety.
Boston & District Angling Association, Lincolnshire
This ‘Fish-marked’ association is keen to introduce youngsters to angling and has an active junior group. However, whilst junior coaching sessions could be carried out on the local drains, costs were proving prohibitive. To help address this issue the association purchased a dedicated lake in 2015 and applied for help through the AIF in previous rounds to develop the site. Having already created a car park, installed a gate and trimmed trees, this further AIF award will enable purchase and installation of 5 new pegs, suitable for coached sessions and/or (side-by-side) family fishing. Juniors can now access affordable fishing waters, stocked with silver fish and within easy reach of the town. As well as making its own contribution, the club has also secured a grant from the local Lincolnshire Police Community Fund.
Cambridge Fish Preservation & Angling Society
CFPAS applied for funding to improve their 1-acre Andersons Lake in Longstanton, just off the busy A14 in Cambridgeshire. The AIF grant will enable much-needed access improvements at the site. Ten tonnes of hard core has been laid on the approach track, which had become difficult for vehicles to access. The new funding will also enable the installation of three double-sized coaching platforms which should facilitate 150 additional fishing sessions planned for young people. The club will be donating a substantial amount of Level-2 coaching time to make the most of the new facilities.
Dewsbury & District Junior Angling Club, West Yorkshire
Based in an ethnically diverse area, Dewsbury & District Junior Angling Club is keen to attract young people from the whole community and offers classroom and bankside sessions at Spen Vale Street Lake, a new club water fitted with 18 pegs exclusively for children’s use. The club has already done much to improve facilities and the AIF award will enable the creation of an outdoor communal meeting area complete with seating. The improvements will be a launch pad for a host of angling activities, including competitive junior leagues, and the club has high hopes that this will help build its junior membership to over 100 kids.
Funding will help the club to increase junior fishing opportunities.
Exeter & District Angling Association
Within walking distance of Exeter City Centre, Fishmark-accredited club E&DAC applied to the AIF in Round 1 to develop their Harpers Pond facility and to extend its coaching programme by offering ‘learn to fish’ days. By building a coaching platform, supplying equipment for family use, family season tickets and a pond-dipping facility, the association hope to fully engage with families and generate up to 500 new fishing opportunities each year.
A new coaching platform will help deliver 500 new fishing opportunities every year, family fishing and a pond dipping facility.
Hull & District Anglers’ Association
H&DAA’s AIF award will pay for and equip a site office facility at their Brough Fishery Complex. This venue is located close to extensive new-build estates and will cater for a large influx in the local population. The Association already hosts coached events to introduce young people and families into angling and the new building will be a base for indoor coaching, provide shelter during poor weather and enable storage of equipment.
Learn 2 Fish, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire
Located in the heart of Huddersfield, Learn2fish’s AIF award will help pay for the installation of a solar powered oxygenating system at their Woodhouse Mills Ponds. This will help protect fish welfare by maintaining high levels of dissolved oxygen and preventing ice formation in winter, enable fishing all year round. Learn2fish provide tuition to schools as well as local charities with their qualified coaches.
Learn2fish’s AIF money will help toward an oxygenation system to provide all-year-round fishing.
Milemead Fisheries, Tavistock, Devon
This well-established, family run fishery near Tavistock, Devon, applied to the AIF for funding to install some safe platforms on its canal lake. The fishery offers free coaching/taster days delivered by its team of qualified coaches and the new pegs will allow this important work to help more children and anglers with access needs enjoy the sport.
Northampton Nene Angling Club
This is one of the oldest-established angling clubs in the country, having been in existence since the mid 1800’s. It still has a thriving membership and provides a full range of waters for its members. The club offers fishing taster and family fun days to attract new people into the sport through its Angling Trust qualified coaches. Coaching activities are held at a variety of club and local council owned waters, most of which do not provide toilet facilities, so funding was sought to purchase a portable toilet. The club will match this by supplying an adapted trailer and vehicle.
Nottingham Piscatorial Society
The Society received funding from the AIF to support its work with vulnerable and disaffected youngsters in the greater Nottinghamshire and Newark areas. The grant will be spent on the purchase of new junior fishing kit and on the installation of new fishing pegs (including a large double peg with disabled access ramp) at its A1 pits near South Muskham. Two additional pegs have also been created on the River Trent that flows immediately behind the venue, offering additional safe swims on flowing water. The Society will commit a big volunteer effort to the project, including 12 days free tuition and 8 training sessions for 30 school children.
Vulnerable youngsters will benefit from AIF funding at Nottingham piscatorial Society’s A1 Pit.
Phoenix Angling Club, Rotherham, South Yorks
This club has been at the forefront of efforts to develop ways to control cormorant predation. As early as 15 years ago it installed fish refuges and floating islands at its Ravenfield Ponds fishery in Rotherham – they applied to the AIF for materials to replace these original structures. The club has recently developed a crucian carp lake as part of the Crucian Conservation Project, which would also have been at risk if no action were taken.
Club members move materials ready for installation of fish refuges.
Picks Cottage Fishery, Chingford, East London
Located on the outskirts of Essex and London, family-run Picks Cottage Fishery has five lakes and provides free fishing for under-14s. The Fishery has used its AIF award to construct four disabled fishing platforms and has also commissioned an access audit to provide a framework for future improvements. Director Andrew Roddick will also qualify as a Level 1 Angling Coach in order to introduce fishing tuition to residents and partnerships with schools and youth groups.
Andrew Roddick says: “It is about trying to improve accessibility around the venue and making sure it meets the needs of wheelchair use. It would be too expensive to do without the grant so it is really fortunate we got it.”
New disabled platforms at Picks Cottage Fishery.
Roche Angling Club, St Austell, Cornwall
Roche Angling Club of St Austell in Cornwall, which has 4 waters and access to 2 others, is committed to getting young people into angling. Using its AIF award, the club will purchase a suite of angling equipment to loan out at coaching sessions, and through its own contribution will support 2 people to complete the Level 2 coaching qualification. The club has support of the charity ‘Young People Cornwall’ which will help provide transport for participants to coaching sessions. Part of the award will also be used to purchase 4 non-lethal acoustic deterrents to protect its waters from otter predation.
Scunthorpe Pisces Angling Club
Scunthorpe Pisces is a Fishmark-accredited club and is already very proactive in trying to encourage people into fishing. It is one of few clubs in country to offer a family membership. Over the past couple of years it has built and stocked a bespoke coaching pond with double size pegs to assist with its coaching plan. Using their AIF grant, complemented by 105 hours of volunteer time, the club will be able to make improvements to the main pathway and create a new small car parking area to enable better access. All this will help to boost junior angling, with at least 500 additional visits estimated.
Scunthorpe Pisces anticipate 500 additional visits thanks to improved access.
Stanton Fishing Club, Ilkeston, Derbyshire
Stanton Fishing Club of Ilkeston, Derbyshire requested a grant to help it manage cormorant predation. The club, which was founded in 1881, had seen its membership drop considerably over the past couple of years due to the problem, with up to 15 birds a day recorded on site. A professional survey confirmed that stock levels were very low but before restocking the club wanted to investigate a way of deterring the cormorant feeding. With their award Stanton FC will install ropes at one of its ponds and part cover it with netting to enhance protection.
Cormorant deterrents in place at a Scunthorpe FC water.
Tarporley & District Angling Club, Cheshire
A small grant was awarded to this Cheshire based club for materials to build low cost cages in the shallow margins of its Cotebrook Mill pool. These will be planted out with reeds and other water plants by volunteers, thus offering shelter, protection and sanctuary for fish. The club had tried a number of different ways in the past to combat predation, without a great deal of success, so it is hoped that the new cages will be effective and provide a cheaper alternative to the purchase of stock fish.
Upper Ouse Angling Academy, Brackley, Northants
Upper Ouse Angling Academy is a new group that shares the venues and tackle of Brackley and District Angling Club and Brackley and District Angling Association. Using a partnership approach, the academy has successfully won funding from other sources to deliver coaching sessions and the AIF award will provide a safe storage facility for angling equipment – all of which allows the Academy to provide much needed recreational resource for the local community.
Verulam Angling Club, St. Albans, Herts
Named ‘Tony’s Lake Project ‘ Verulam AC sought funding to help with the cost of providing a safe environment for junior coaching. The project involves levelling the banks at an old and under-used gravel pit and the creation of a safe walkway to a purpose-built coaching area. This will facilitate more school usage, fortnightly junior coaching and provide space for members to bring children and grandchildren. Once compete, the club predicts the improvements will generate 360 new angling opportunities each year for young people.
Club members enjoy the new purpose built junior angling facilities.
Wem Angling Club, Shropshire
Set in the Shropshire countryside the club has used its grant to rejuvenate a pool they intend to use for young anglers and families. The pool was badly silted and clogged with weed so was drained and tonnes of silt removed before being refilled. As work was being undertaken they found numerous small crucians, which they had not initially realised were present, and have ambitions to stock the pool with more of this species. With the other two pools on site, younger anglers at Wem AC will have the chance to practise a range of fishing styles. Mike Williams of Wem AC said: “Once again, many, many thanks to both yourself and your Committee for your generous offer and understanding regarding our trials and tribulations at Hawk Lake.”
West Hampstead Angling Society, Rickmansworth, Herts
West Hampstead Angling Society has a 5-year development plan aimed at increasing the number of junior anglers using Sabeys Pool, located just short walk from the town centre in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire. The Society has already made a raft of improvements at Sabeys, including the installation of male and female toilets and weather-proof shelters. Using their AIF grant, the club will employ a tree surgeon to remove unstable & unsafe trees along the east and southern banks, thereby opening up additional swims. The Society has a number of Angling Trust qualified coaches who hope to offer more sessions after the work has been completed and new fishing opportunities will be promoted at the popular Rickmansworth Festival.
Unstable trees will be removed, improving safety and opening up new swims.
Winning Projects – Round 4 – 2015-16
Community Waters:
Abbey Lake Environmental Project, Abbey Lake Angling Club, Cirencester, Gloucs.
Abbey Lake AC has offered fishing on Abbey Lake in the middle of Cirencester (a public water controlled by the Town Council) for over 25 years and this year became Fishmark accredited. Cheap season tickets are available to adults and children and the club runs free weekly coaching sessions for kids during the summer. The AIF-funded improvement works include the planting of floating islands, installation of a notice board and re-instatement of swims and will be overseen by the Council, which is also contributing financially to the project. In July the lake will host a ‘Let’s Go Family Fishing’ day, and forms part of Cirencester Town Council’s Love Parks Week.
Janet Savage of Abbey Lake AC said: “The club is very grateful for this award which will hopefully encourage more anglers of all ages to fish our beautiful & accessible lake.”
The AIF will fund access and habitat improvements at the lake.
Bracknell Town Council, Berkshire
Braybrooke Community Nature and Fishing Club is a brand new club for the community of Bracknell whose main ethos is to make fishing truly available to all and to help people understand the connection between angling and the environment. To this end a lot of thought has gone into improvements that will make the water safe and accessible for people of all ages and abilities. The AIF award will be used to build 6 wheelchair accessible platforms and create a new fishing area, for tree work and to purchase a central store of fishing equipment for use by new families/juniors. The project has close support from Bracknell Town Council who will making a large contribution to labour costs, specialist plant hire and use a of tree surgeon. The project also benefits from substantial volunteer effort, including that of a Volunteer Angling Champion. A series of coaching events are planned throughout the summer months aimed at attracting new people into angling.
Braybrooke Community Nature and Fishing Club will use funding to help continue develop angling opportunities and facilities.
Brauntstone Fishing Club, Leicester
Braunstone is a fledgling fishing club, based at Braunstone Park in the Leicester City area and close to the community at Braunstone. Many residents of the estate at Braunstone do not have transport, and so improved angling facilities on their doorstep will provide a much-needed recreational resource and hub for volunteering and other community events. The club are using their award to purchase a secure clubhouse/ unit, which will be used for administration, meetings and educational purposes. Part of the grant will also buy two double-sized fishing stages, to add to two donated by the Environment Agency. It is hoped the improvements will attract more than 500 new angling visits every year.
Elaine Halford said: “This project is so important to our community it will enable disabled people to enjoy the sport of angling locally. Without the disabled platforms most of our disabled anglers in our community wouldn’t be able to do the very thing they love, fishing in a safe local environment. The clubhouse will provide a space where people of all abilities can chat and share the knowledge they have. Without the help of Angling Trust it would have been a long time before we as a club could have achieved this project.”
The new clubhouse and fishing store arrives at Braunstone FC.
Canal Connections, Esholt, Leeds
Canal Connections will be managing the Leeds Waterfront Festival this summer and has engaged over 500 young people at its summer schools over the last 4 years. Having been offered use of woodland on the non-towpath side of the Leeds Liverpool Canal at Esholt, near Bradford, the organisation has applied for support for an innovative project to build a series of interconnecting stages and pathways to offer ‘have-a-go’ fishing sessions to schools, scouts and ‘hard-to-reach’ groups in a safe and peaceful environment. There is still quite a lot of planning to do, but if discussions with the Canal and River Trust and existing users of the canal are successful, the project could generate 250 new angling opportunities annually. The project will bring substantial match funding, including a grant from the Arts Council ‘Hydro-citizenship’ project and 100 days of volunteer time.
Canal Connections will use funding to increase angling opportunities for youngsters.
Canal & River Trust (CRT), Cheshire
CRT believe that a thriving community angling club can play a significant role in helping to address various local social issues. This project will make use of a city section of the Shropshire Union Canal at Blacon, Chester. Using members of its successful volunteer programme, CRT will install a series of pegs on the stretch, which will then home a new free-to-join, and self-sustaining angling club. The project has significant support from partners in the region including the Sanctuary Housing Group, West Cheshire & Chester Council and the Chester branch of Bank of America UK.
City of York Council
An application was made by City of York Council to help them rejuvenate Chapman’s Pond, located on the edge of the city. After years of neglect, the past 3 years has seen a surge in community interest in the venue, including the formation of a voluntary bailiff group by local anglers, which is working alongside the Friend’s of Chapman’s Pond to improve the site and encourage responsible angling. The grant award will be spent on new stages installed with the generous help of TCV volunteers, repairs to existing pegs, sets of fishing equipment and coaching qualifications. These facilities improvements will provide a launch pad for inclusive angling events, which it is hoped could generate more than 600 new angling visits to the Pond every year.
Friends of Springfield Park, Kidderminster, Worcestershire
The Friends of Springfield Park, Kidderminster, was launched in 2009 and has established an enviable record of running community events. The Friends will use their AIF award to continue a wide programme of angling improvements at the ‘Stackpool’ launched this year, including the planting of floating islands, water quality improvements, an access audit by BDAA (British Disabled Angling Association) and the installation of two new disabled fishing platforms. The project has the support of the local council and, as well as encouraging angling is hoped to bring many community benefits.
Ben Bendall said: “Friends of Springfield Park took over the management of the 3.3 acre Stackpool on 1 January 2016 and greatly appreciate the advice and help and funding that we have received from the Angling Trust. Thank you.”
Improvements being made to Stackpool, thanks to AIF funding.
Friends of York Railway Pond & Reserve, York
Railway Pond & Reserve is a former brick pond located in a residential area of York and is being transformed by a project led by the local Friends Group and supported by City of York Council (under the umbrella group of York Natural Environmental Trust.) In a sense, the project’s greatest benefit is the many volunteering opportunities generated by the fishery working parties, giving local residents a chance to meet one another in the open air, learn skills and pursue a more active lifestyle. This contributes to resident’s general well being and in particular helps to combat loneliness in later life. Those on a budget can even exchange their volunteer time for free fishing. The AIF grant will permit the rebuilding of 6 dilapidated platforms and fund additional marginal planting.
Railway Pond and Reserve will provide angling and improve well being for local residents.
Humberstone Angling Association, Leicester
This club has taken the lease on an under-used community park water called Hamilton Lake in Leicester, owned by Leicester City Council. The venue has been neglected for some time, leading to the deterioration of existing swims and vegetation overgrowth, however it offers a huge amount of potential as it is located near a housing estate and would offer residents the chance of fishing at their doorstep. Following recommendations made by the EA, the AIF-supported improvement project will include landscaping work, the creation of new safe swims, purchase of maintenance tools, signage, planting and fish refuges and will involve a large investment of volunteer time.
Leazes Park, Newcastle Upon Tyne
Leazes Park Lake is a valuable green space at the heart of Newcastle city centre, just behind St. James’s Park. As well as offering fishing to members and day-ticket anglers, the Association also runs regular coaching sessions for young people and disabled adults. It has worked with community and youth projects for a number of years and the AIF –supported project has the backing of Gateshead Disability Services who participate in the Angling4All programme. Money from the Fund, together with a sizeable matching contribution from the Association will go towards fish refuge planting, re-stocking with bream, tench and crucian carp, and will fund 12 days of coaching this summer supported by the Association’s licensed coaches, volunteer champions and qualified health support workers.
John White, Secretary LPAA said: “Needless to say this has improved our community based fishery beyond our expectations. Many thanks to the Angling Improvement Fund.”
John Ainsbitt, from Gateshead Council’s Adult Provider Services Angling4All, added: “Angling coaches from Leaze’s Park AA offer our members structured activities that are educational, fulfilling and raise self-esteem. Seeing disabled people fishing at Leazes also helps break down barriers by portraying a can-do attitude. We have fished at Leaze’s Park for the past year and are planning more open days to allow people with disabilities who have never fished before to give it a go.”
The conservation and refuge area being installed at Leazes Park.
Paul’s Pond Enhancement Scheme, Leeds City Council
Paul’s Pond lies at the southern-most end of the Brears Marsh Nature Reserve in Leeds. BT Leeds Angling Club has rented this water from Leeds City Council for over 40 years and together implementing an enhancement scheme to improve the pond and surrounding area. The AIF award will be used to purchase 8 platforms to enable safe, accessible fishing for all, and provide a safe environment for coaching. Because the footpath around the pond is close to the water’s edge the platforms will also allow anglers to keep the path clear for walkers, horse riders and the general public. Once in place, planned coaching sessions are expected to boost angling participation by at least 50-75% over the next 3-5 years.
AIF funding will help install 8 new coaching platforms.
National Trust Blickling, Norwich
Fishing is available by day or season ticket at the National Trust’s Blickling Estate, and special rates are provided for schools. While bream is the major species, some sizeable carp are also held in the picturesque 20-acre lake, one of the oldest estate lakes in Norfolk. Using their award, the NT wardens and volunteer team will install 5 new platforms, adding to the 10 recently erected by the Estate. Blickling is part of a national project to provide multi-use trails, funded in partnership with Sport England, and it is hoped the new platforms will support 500 new fishing visits.
Barnwell Country Park, Northamptonshire County Council
The waters at Barnwell Country Park, near Oundle include two former gravel pit lakes, and “the Backwater” a streamy side channel of the River Nene. With its accessibility and facilities, the park provides a good accessible venue for novices, with a reasonable stock of smaller fish. It is also a good venue for disabled anglers with three wheel chair accessible swims on Mill Lake and two on North Lake. Free fishing is offered to under-12s and concessionary rates for badge holders, senior citizens and under 15s. The Park team will use the award to install 3 further double-sized platforms, as well as information boards and panels.
Otterspool Angling Club, Watford, Herts
OAC, a member of the Colne Valley Fisheries Consultative, is delighted to have won an award from the AIF. Its members, working in partnership with EA fisheries officers and the riparian landowner, have put a huge amount of time, effort and money into river habitat improvements over the years. Now, using their award and following the advice of the EA and Wild Trout Trust, they look forward to returning a recently acquired, overgrown, choked and unfishable section of the Hertfordshire Colne back to its former glory, enabling greater community access and use by the people of Watford. The club also hopes to re-establish the junior Meriden Fishing Club, which folded when no local water could be found.
Fireman’s Pond Development, Port Sunlight Angling Club, Wirral
In 2010 Port Sunlight AC was given the chance to purchase Fireman’s Pond but the water had become silted-up and attracted fly-tippers and anti-social behaviour. A prestigious Inspired Facilities grant awarded to the club in 2012 to help install new pegs has had an enormous impact, boosting junior membership by 10-fold. Now, using their AIF award, together with club funds, the club will be able to purchase a new aerator, to further improve the standard of the fishery and meet the costs of a Level 2 coaching qualification. The club has also promised extensive volunteer support for the improvements in the form of coaching and a working party.
The new aerator at Fireman’s Pond.
Salford Friendly Anglers Society
Called the ‘Old River Irwell Restoration Project’, the focus of these improvements is actually a public park lake, with fishing rights granted by Salford Council. Once a celebrated tench water, the fish population was hit hard by a pollution incident in 2008. However, the Society was not daunted and has worked tirelessly to turn things around, securing funding from local charities and Salford Council to restock and build floating islands. It also won an impressive £8000 grant from the Tesco Plastic Bag Fund to rebuild 12 pegs. With its AIF award, and in partnership with the local Rivers Trust, SFA will add a further 12 stages (with steps where required), which collectively should generate 2000 more angling visits, half by children. The Society offers free fishing to anyone with a valid rod licence and hopes to use this particular venue to host its 200th anniversary celebrations in 2017.
Hanley Park, Stoke on Trent City Council
Hanley Park is a popular community water, offering free fishing within easy reach of the city centre but in recent times has suffered from predation by birds. With its AIF award, which is predicted to stimulate 1400 new angling visits per annum, Stoke Council will build new fish refuges and install a new path and four disabled pegs. The Council will also fund works on the lake’s fountains to help ensure adequate aeration. The grant will complement a successful bid made to the heritage Lottery Fund to restore the Park’s historic central area. The Council supports a City Waters group of clubs leasing its waters.
Victoria Park, Tower Hamlets, London
Victoria Park is one of London’s oldest and most important historic parks, visited by millions of Londoners and tourists since opening nearly 170 years ago. The Park’s East Lake, which was restored in 2012, offers pretty well the only free fishing in the area and while the park team currently run fishing taster days, they would love to deliver more sessions. The AIF award will be used for lily cover and marginal planting, to add non-slip surfacing to angling platforms, to train 2 staff members up to AT Level 1 coaching standard and to purchase a limited amount of children’s fishing equipment. Once these enhancements are complete, the Tower Hamlets BC have promised to stock the lake with £2,000 worth of fish. All in all, the LBTH Community Outreach team predicts that more than 300 additional visits by children can be delivered every year. In exciting news, Victoria Park has beaten off stiff competition from more than 1,500 other Green Flag Award parks to be crowned the People’s Choice 2015 – for the second year in a row.
Children will enjoy non-slip platforms, enhanced habitat and coaching thanks to the AIF.
Projects with Schools and Colleges:
Fir Tree Fishery CIC, Wigan, Lancashire
Located near Wigan, this company has provided services for Wigan Council since 2010 with the aim of delivering rehabilitation and enrichment sessions for young people with disabilities. The venue was designed with advice from the Environment Agency and the British Disabled Angling Association and won Sport England funding in 2013. Highly developed evaluation systems are in place and over 72% of learners have progressed to employment or apprenticeships. The funded project is based on a pilot successfully delivered with Oakfield High School and will involve working with 35-40 young people over an initial 12 month period to deliver 6 community cohesion angling events. The major benefit will come from the young people assisting others in angling and fishery management. The AIF grant will help pay for fishing kit, complementing the match funding and coaching time offered by FTF.
Rehabilitation and enrichment sessions will be supported at Fir Tree Fishery by funding.
Fishing 4 Schools / Countryside Alliance Foundation and Hadlow College, Kent
In this innovative 3-way project six Hadlow College students will be funded to obtain L1 and L2 coaching qualifications, enabling them to assist at open days and taster sessions offered by Fishing 4 Schools at the Grove Farm Fishery. A further part of the grant will go towards the construction of 3 new platforms, an interconnecting pathway and fencing. Nine named schools (target age range 11-16) will be invited to take part in the F4S sessions and, crucially, F4S look to train school staff as well as the students to help schools sustain angling independently.
Charles Jardine of F4S said: “Can I, on behalf of everyone connected, thank the Angling Trust for this wonderful opportunity to grow our fabulous sport – especially with the young in mind – in the Kent region.”
Godalming Angling Society, Surrey
In conjunction with Rodborough Secondary School the club has use of a coaching pond, Hill Pond, at its Marsh Farm complex, an accessible venue built with the assistance of Lottery funding. The Society runs regular coaching sessions during the summer which double as out of term school angling club events, plus they run events for the school in term time. This year the club has launched its Angling Academy to give participants a more in depth instruction. The award made to Godalming Angling Society will allow it to improve the venue further by creating a new coaching preparation area incorporating a tackle shed, and a paved, sheltered outside area with benches where children can store belongings and eat lunch. GAS is confident that by improving the facilities it will see more school groups use the venue and generate upwards of 1200 angling visits. The Society has made a major investment of its own towards the overall costs of the project.
David Ewing, Junior Development Officer at Godalming Angling Society, said: “We have a lot of school groups use the facilities at Marsh Farm. Providing a decent space for kids to store their bags, have lunch and get out of the weather (both strong sunshine and rain) will be a real benefit.
“Our coaches have been asking for a dedicated coaching store close to our training lake, Hill Pond. Now thanks to the Angling Improvement Fund we are able to do this. Having access to our tackle on site means we can respond better to the needs of youngsters moving them on to more complex tactics and methods more easily.”
A dedicated storage facility will help youngsters get in to fishing.
Hassocks & District Angling Society, Sussex
Having installed a number of disabled friendly platforms around their newly-purchased lake, this Sussex club approached the AIF for a grant to lay a grass reinforcement mesh to improve access for less mobile and disabled anglers. Crucially in this project, students from Plumpton College will help to plan and lay the mesh as part of their Fish and Fishery Management Course. When access has been improved the club will host a number of coaching events using the club’s L2 qualified coaches and will invite Twineham Primary School to hold classes at the lake.
Tony Elkins of Hassocks & DAS said: ”We would like to thank the Angling Trust for the grant as it will clearly improve the access around our new lake. This is the final piece in the jigsaw as the lake was opened in April to Anglers and we now have a much more solid path between all of the purpose built fishing platforms. The mesh will be invisible in a couple of months once the grass has grown through.”
Improvements will help increase the number of coaching sessions.
Newrad Fisheries Club, Darwen, Lancashire
Established in 1981 Newrad Fisheries Club (NFC) offers fishing at two lakes leased from Blackburn & Darwen Borough Council. NFC has obtained ‘Fishmark’ status and was shortlisted in Round 2 of the AIF. Through its partnership with the community organisation NCW Kewl Club, strong links have been established with local schools, scouts and beavers groups and Child Action NW, and through its work more than 600 children have been coached and signposted to NFC and other local fishing clubs over the last 12 years. With its AIF award the club will be able to repair damage to fishing platforms, enabling more to be used in coaching sessions with local school and youth organisations. It is anticipated that the number of visiting anglers will double once the works have been completed.
The club said: “The club was pleased to receive the funding which will make more fishing pegs accessible and safer. It is also a great opportunity for our members and other anglers to see that part of their rod licence money is being used to improve local fisheries for grassroots clubs.”
Pool Bridge Farm Ltd, York
Pool Bridge Farm Fishery is ‘Fishmarked’ and has offered events and incentives to encourage young people into angling for the past 9 years. Their award will enable the conversion of one of the farm buildings to a classroom, venue for L1 and L2 coaching courses and base for its annual Family Fishing event and it is hoped the new facilities will attract 500+ new angling visits by children. The fishery offered a substantial amount of skilled joinery time as part of its own ‘in-kind’ contribution to this £11,300 project.
Tek2 Fly Fishing/ Holy Trinity Junior School, Ripon
Tek2 intends to run a series of courses aimed at the ‘Introduction to Fly Fishing’ for youngsters from Holy Trinity Junior School, Ripon, which will also support aspects of the KS2 curriculum. The Head Teacher wants to see the angling programme become a permanent feature of the school’s calendar and has been involved in the design of the programme’s content. The first five sessions will be run in-school with the final (angling) one held at Kilnsey Park Fishery. On completion pupils will be presented with their AT CAST Awards and a fact sheet for parents identifying further angling opportunities.