Fishing for schools

[Greenheart]

The magic of Fishing for Schools

As National Fishing Month is ongoing it is a good time to update you on the important and inspiring Fishing for Schools initiative being run by The Countryside Alliance Foundation.

Fishing for Schools genuinely transforms young lives through fly-fishing.The main target group for the project is young people between the ages of 14 and 16 with special educational needs. These children find academic work particularly difficult but respond well to alternative learning. The aim is to teach them the skills of fly-fishing and in doing so explore and enjoy other areas within the natural world. The programme offered to schools is usually a two-day course, split into four sessions. The course introduces young people to fly-tying,pond-dipping, fly-box construction, equipment assembly, casting games, knot-tying, fishing, water safety, nature observation, areas of safety and bank-side conservation, respect for wildlife and occasionally cookery periods in co-ordination with the schools' cooking departments. Fishing for Schools has been purpose built to offer skills and confidence to young people who so often never attain their true potential, and provides great fun along the way.

Fishing for Schools is run by Charles Jardine (pictured below with a happy couse participant). Charles is one of England's finest fly-fishermen and a tireless worker for disadvantaged children. Charles is a passionate angler, brilliant instructor and his impact alone is enormous. Children cannot help being drawn in by his enthusiasm, and teachers and care assistants are constantly amazed by his ability
to hold the attention of even the most challenging students.

Feedback from the earlier courses has revealed a dramatic difference in the behaviour of many participants. More than 350 disadvantaged children have benefited from the course. Over 120 young people have enjoyed the course this year alone and the success of the scheme is palpable; the uptake of Fishing for Schools courses when offered is currently running at 95%, showing that schools are recognising a good thing when it is offered. There are high hopes that Fishing for Schools' positive effect can reach many, many more young people in the coming years, but, as ever, the programme's ability to change young lives depends entirely on funding from the public, so all contributions will be gratefully received.

To make a donation towards the programme, please call 020 7840 9232. Schools interested in holding a Fishing for Schools course can contact Charles Jardine at charles@charlesjardine.co.uk