Children at risk given respite through fishing

Bob Woodley, 64, is an angling coach working part time with the youth offending service coaching children at risk. He holds youth activities in the evenings offering a 12 week course.

He is secretary of Bulkington Working Mens club Angling Section and has been for the past 30 years. The club has its own water at Long Lawford, and boasts approximately 150 members. Bob organises the weekly club matches from April through to December.

Bob says: "I can't think of any better way to spend your leisure time than on the banks of a nice water. (Even the wife has had to join me)."

Youngest Licensed Female Game Angling Coach shortlisted

An angler from who started fishing minnows as a child before trying 'proper' fishing, is on course to win tickets to The Go Fishing Show and potentially being hailed the country's Angling Ambassador.

Lucy says: "I believe I should be an ambassador for angling because of my drive, enthusiasm and sheer passion for the sport. I believe that anyone can fish no matter what your age, race, gender or ability and I feel that it is my mission to promote this."

An angler for over eighteen years, Lucy was first introduced into the sport aged five years old by her father who took her, together with her sister to local rivers to catch minnows with nets.

Expressing an interest in fishing, Lucy and her dad advanced to trout fishing in local still waters and rivers in and around Northumberland.

Lucy adds: "Since then my passion for angling has grown. I have tried all disciplines in the sport and I love it all!"

At twenty three years old, Lucy is the youngest licensed female game angling coach in UK.

Five years ago she established the web site www.fishingforeveryone.com. Originally a website to promote and encourage more people into angling, in particular more females, the site took off almost overnight resulting in a series of award nominations, shortlists and wins.

Lucy also set up a ladies fishing club in April 2008. Within a year the Fishing For Everyone Ladies Fishing Club became a huge success and was developed into an official angling club for ladies. Lucy is now the Chairman of the Club with a committee and membership.

Lucy explains: "The Club holds events regularly all over the UK, primarily the North East, covering all disciplines and we have so far put one lady through her level 2 game angling qualification and two ladies are currently working towards their level 1 game angling qualifications.

"The Club is running a two month programme starting next month with a local school in Alnwick for 16-18 year old girls with not only the hope of getting more younger Club members, but also getting more ladies into the sport... we believe that youngsters are the future for angling. We are also working hard towards achieving Clubmark status."

The Club has made TV appearances both at a local and national level, from BBC and Tyne Tees News to Sky’s Tight Lines programme. Lucy also works full time within the fishing industry at Hardy & Greys Ltd.

She concludes: "There is nothing more fulfilling then seeing people catch their first fish and know that they are hooked for life. As you can see my life is dedicated to angling and empowering more people to have the confidence take up the sport. I would love the opportunity to become an angling ambassador... there is just no other sport on this earth like it."

Local papers back Ambassador bid

Staffordshire Youth Group Leader Reels in Funding for Angling

Bradley Parkes, 19 from Stafford, is a student at Harper Adams University and is Chairman of Staffordshire Youth Anglers.

After attending a fishing session run by Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, Bradley was inspired to set up his own club. He successfully approached Carney Pools to base the youth angling group from their fishery, which quickly gained momentum. They developed a name for the group, designed a logo and devised a set of group guidelines. The local MP at the time, David Kidney, also backed the group.

Bradley applied for youth bank funding to cover sessional coaching costs, peg fees and the first equipment and, together with 5 donated float rods the group started to operate on Saturday mornings.

Bradley has applied to various organisations for funding and now has equipment to keep the web site up to date, record catches on film or on photographs and has been able to increase the amount of angling equipment the group can offer its members.

Bradley explains how he has promoted the club and his sport: "We started with 12 members and we now have 35 who attend regularly. We have held three open days, each offering free Try It Sessions to young people, which helped us gain 7 new members.

"As a voluntary club we don’t charge membership fees, and ask only a 50% contribution of £2.00 towards the peg fees. The Open Days are vital for raising club funds to see us through the year and I issue press releases and put up posters locally to bring in as many visitors as possible."

Bradley has visited schools to talk to Duke of Edinburgh candidates about angling and he has also been involved in a number of promotional events representing Staffs Youth Anglers.

He has established a wildlife pond at Carney Pools with a pathway suitable for disabled users and people with pushchairs. This has been particularly successful in promoting angling to those with disabilities who would not normally have any access to the sport.

Bradley's passion for the sport is never ending. He adds: "I am working with two high schools (one in Rugeley and one in Stafford) to provide an 8-week programme of after school angling sessions for 15 young people per school.

"During the last 2 years I have encouraged contact between our club and other angling groups and we have fished a number of matches against a local Stoke on Trent angling group.

"On a personal level I enjoy all aspects of the sport. I have been fishing since the age of 12 and have been to lots of different venues. If I was to win this competition, the £2,000 worth of angling equipment would be a really vital to help with the growth of our club, and it would be such good news to all the current members too as sometimes there is not enough kit to go round."

If you go to the equal lengths to promote angling and want to enter the competition, email gofishingshow@connect-group.com with a brief description of why you should be considered before 2 July.

In the press

Press coverage is rolling in for the Angling Ambassador competition.

We're featured on Anglers Net, on the Crewe Chronicle web site (after the catfish battle article) as well as this week's Tamworth Herald (see the print version).

There's also an active conversation on Facebook - why not follow the Go Fishing Show Facebook page at www.bit.ly/GoFishing. We're also on Twitter: www.twitter.com/GoFishingShow.

Firing up young anglers' interest

Clint Walker, from Leek in Staffordshire has entered the Go Fishing Show Angling Ambassador competition.

Working as a full time firefighter, Clint finds time to promote angling by writing articles and features to encourage young anglers to take up this fantastic sport.

He says: "I write a weekly angling column in 'The Mercury', a Sheffield based newspaper and have set up a partnership with a local retailer 'Nitrobaits' which offers a monthly prize for the best under 16 'fishy picture'. This is proving very sucessful with the first entries due to be published this month.

"Also on offer is an overall prize of £150 rod/reel combo for the nicest shot. I contribute a weekly round up (NW) to Carp Talk magazine and actively seek out younger anglers to contribute."

On a personal level, Clint has donated unwanted tackle to local youngsters to help them get interested in angling, and has taken youngsters out on the bank to show them the skills they require to try and maintain enthusiasm.

Clint works with various retailers to find ways to promote and give access to various youth groups, and is currently working with Cyril Brewster (Cudmore) on a number of articles to increase footfall at the fishery.

He adds: "I contribute 'how to' articles and features to a host of websites and respond as a consultant to forum users queries and requests for advice.

"Should I be sucessful, the prize bag would be a fantastic asset in encouraging younger anglers to contribute to my 'hard copy' and web based work as it would be offered as an incentive."

If you think you have what it takes to become The Go Fishing Show's Angling Ambassador and be in with a chance of winning £2,000 worth of angling gear and tickets to this year's show, email gofishingshow@connect-group.com with reasons why you should win.

Search begins to catch an Angling Ambassador

The Go Fishing Show is looking to find an Angling Ambassador to represent the sport at a national level.

Avid anglers are invited to tell the team at The Go Fishing Show why they deserve to become an Angling Ambassador by emailing details of the lengths they go to in promoting the pastime in their local area.

Judges will shortlist just five finalists who will each receive a pair of tickets to the show on 17 and 18 July and a money can’t buy prize will be given to one overall winner along with £2,000 worth of angling prizes.

Show organiser, Jo Burton, says the competition will highlight the high levels of passion and knowledge people have for fishing. She comments: “We regularly receive feedback from the public about ways in which they are promoting angling in their local area demonstrating that it is one of Britain’s biggest and most popular leisure activities.

“Examples range from submitting angling competition summaries to local newspapers to establishing groups for young people to take up fishing. We want to share the best examples of people sharing their love and knowledge of fishing.”

As well as receiving a goody bag with £2,000 worth of fishing prizes, the overall winner will also get to work with the Angling Times team and see their review of the show uploaded onto the magazine’s web site.

How to Enter
Entrants should email a description of the ways in which they promote angling and how they encourage others to take part to gofishingshow@connect-group.com along with a picture of themselves. Entries should be received by 2 July 2010.

A ‘Money Can’t Buy’ Prize
Five finalists will receive tickets to the show and the overall winner will receive angling equipment and have the chance to submit a report of their experience of the show to be uploaded onto the Angling Times web site.

A summary of some of the best entries, including our five finalists, will be uploaded on this blog and entries will also be promoted via the dedicated Twitter and Facebook profiles that have been set up specifically for this year’s Go Fishing Show.

The Go Fishing Show takes place at Cudmore Fisheries, Newcastle-under-Lyme on 17 and 18 July. Offering an array of exciting features, the show promises to be a real family fun day out. Throughout the weekend the show will be overflowing with fishing activities for novice and die-hard anglers alike.

Features include the prestigious Fish O’Mania competition, where Britain’s best anglers battle it out for a whopping £25k prize; World Champs Alley, giving visitors the chance to meet the world’s best anglers; as well as interactive zones where you can touch, try and test everything to do with fishing.

The Go Fishing Show also looks set to be a record breaker, putting on the biggest coaching session ever staged around the complex’s ten fish-filled lakes.

Making this weekend extra special for the family, there is an interactive outdoors fun fair for youngsters to enjoy and what’s even better is that on Sunday 18th July, children aged 15 and under get in completely free!

For ticket information and prices, please visit the Go Fishing Show website www.gofishingshow.com.