The November 2008 GHOF newsletter details some of the latest events and developments at Get Hooked on Fishing ...

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Substance, a social research cooperative, have won a Big Lottery Research Grant for a project entitled: ‘The Social and Community Benefits of Angling’. The grant of £284,151 will fund a three-year project from January 2009 - January 2012 that will provide evidence of the positive role angling can play for those who participate in it, young people and communities.

The project will work closely with angling and community organisations, policymakers and anglers to help address gaps in knowledge about the activity and provide evidence of angling’s positive impacts and best practice to help influence changes in policy.

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Anglers are hoping to get young people in County Durham hooked on a new hobby in a scheme to cut down on youth crime.

As part of the £30,000 initiative, youngsters will enrol on a programme of fishing activities. It is hoped this will increase their personal and social skills, and help steer them away from crime.

National charity Get Hooked on Fishing (GHOF) joined forces with Easington Council to set up the project, which is funded by the Environment Agency. Participants will take part in 12 initial sessions, which will include sea angling at Blackhall and Seaham, and a visit to the charity's fishing lake in Bishop Auckland.

Darren McGlen, GHOF project manager, said:
"Our aim is to raise awareness among young people that there are viable alternatives to crime and anti-social behaviour, while also promoting conservation and environmental issues."

Councillor George Patterson, chairman of the Pride in Easington steering group, said:
"As well as gaining new skills and experiences, those who take part will also have the chance to make the most of our district's stunning coastline."

Article courtesy of BBC NEWS >>

As part of Nation fishing week and for the module 3 for 4 young people within Get Hooked on Fishing we decided that we would travel abroad to perform some sea fishing of a different nature to our usual. Through talking with Ian Peacock from DinTurs we decided this trip would be to Trondheim, Norway!

After months of planning, preparation, training and countless meetings the trip to Norway was upon us. It was an early morning flight and after having only a couple of hours sleep, I was picked up by Tony Hall (Teacher at Ashington High School) at 4.30am and off we went to Newcastle Airport. I could see by Tony’s face that although we both we on our first international trip with young people the excitement well outweighed any nervousness. On arriving at the airport we met the young lads who we were taking away. Jamie Prime and Jonathan Boulton (Trainees with GHOF), Adam West and Andrew Young (pupils at Ashington High School). You couldn’t even tell that they had as little sleep as us (if not less!) as their faces were telling the story of exactly what this trip meant to them.

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SIX local junior anglers from Bay Malton AC had the time of their lives, thanks to John Wilson and Get Hooked on Fishing co-ordinators Dave and Mandy Smith.

The youngsters, from South Cheshire and Staffordshire were enjoying a day of fishing with their TV angling hero. John, the face of angling on television, had invited the group for a day of fishing with him on his private lakes in Norfolk as a reward for their hard work within the Get Hooked on Fishing (GHOF) Border organisation.

GHOF co-ordinator Dave Smith said: "John and I had long been discussing getting some young anglers down to fish with him and eventually we were able to get a day sorted, allowing Mandy and I to take the youngsters down for an overnight stay."

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Helen Pearce has been appointed as the new Project Manager for Get Hooked on Fishing Wales. Helen will be planning to set up new Get Hooked on Fishing schemes across Wales, so if you have a need for a project in your area then please get in touch.

Helen is a keen angler and has been fishing since the age of 5, she also currently works part-time as the National Coaching Co-ordinator for angling in Wales for the Federation of Welsh Anglers. Helen is Team Manager and Team Captain for the Welsh Ladies Shore Team and is keen to encourage more women and girls into the sport.

More information will be posted on the website as developments take place. In the mean time if you would like to get in touch then please contact Helen by email on:-

helen.pearce@btconnect.com

Get Hooked coordinators across the UK support National Fishing Week

Get Hooked coordinators across the UK supported National Fishing Week by organising events, coaching and in doing so introduced hundreds of new people to the sport.

Activities across game, sea and coarse fishing ranged from Ladies Days, Disabled Days, Fun Days all aimed at making sure they would want to come back for more.

Thanks to all for their hard work ...

click images to enlarge

NINE students from Park High school sports college, Prenton, have headed to Vitry-le-François, France, to take part in the Get Hooked On Fishing project.

The project, funded by housing renewal group LIVE Wirral, has been set up to promote fishing among young people.

Seb Coe visits North East preparations for the London 2012 Olympic Games

Chairman of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Sebastian Coe visited the North East today to see firsthand how the region is taking up the opportunities presented by the London 2012 Games.

Lord Coe’s visit began at the Tees Barrage, Stockton – a venue in the London 2012 Pre-Games Training Camp Guide - where he watched a number of young water sport athletes demonstrate their skills.

He also took some time out to speak to Dave Munt, Project Coordinator for Get Hooked on Fishing Teesside and a group of young people who are learning to fish at the Barrage. Seb recalled some happy memories of fishing when he was a boy growing up in Sheffield.

Castle Morpeth & Wansbeck Volunteer Centre, part of Wansbeck CVS, recently held a glittering celebration event to mark the achievements of local volunteers as part of Volunteers' Week, a national campaign to highlight the importance of volunteers.

The event, held on Wednesday 4th June at Longhirst Hall, brought together 200 volunteers from across Castle Morpeth and Wansbeck to wish them thanks for the difference they make to their local communities and give them the red carpet treatment.

Volunteers were met with a champagne reception, before being entertained by a table magician and disco. The night saw three awards given out to mark the achievements of volunteers, and all those attending the event received certificates of thanks.

The award for Young Volunteer of the Year, for volunteers under the age of 25, was presented to Jamie Prime, who works with Get Hooked on Fishing.

Following the launch of their online donation campaign the Get Hooked on Fishing Charitable Trust was delighted to see Chris Shakesby become their first online fundraiser. Chris, a manager with IBM Software Services has been a keen angler for years and wanted to put something back into the sport during his 50th year celebrations.

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An all-new Midlands angling show is offering free fishing tuition for youngsters along with an incredible £50,000 worth of tackle giveaways.

International fishing magazine publisher, DHP Ltd, is the organiser behind the first ever TCF (Total Coarse Fishing) Showcase, a three-day family angling show that will star world champions of the sport along with TV¹s top angling stars.

The show, which will run at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire from 25 to 27 April, will feature demonstrations and forums from the likes of angling TV celebrities John Bailey, Bob James and John Wilson.

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Coordinators Development Conference - March 2008

The Get Hooked on Fishing Coordinators got together to share best practice. Witton Park in County Durham, the home of Get Hooked North East, was the venue for the Project Coordinators Second Conference.

His Honour Judge John Milford QC, Chair of Trustees welcomed everyone before listening to each coordinator as they gave a short presentation about their own scheme.

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Ed Parkinson has been appointed Coordinator for National Fishing Week with effect from 1 March 2008. Ed has a wide range of experience in the education and journalism fields having worked as a teacher and a journalist with the BBC.

Anne Moyle, Chief Executive said, 'I am delighted by Ed's appointment and that we have been able to find someone as talented to help us drive National Fishing Week and Take a Friend Fishing forward for the sponsors".

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David Munt from Get Hooked on Fishing Teesside had been the driving force in getting young people involved in angling on Teesside, and he enrolled the Environment Agency into help.

Officers moved two thousand roach, bream and perch to a new home at Hemlington Lake, which is used by a number of local groups to encourage people to take up fishing. The fish were donated by ‘Carp Krazy’ from Chop Gate fishing lake, Stokesley.

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National Fishing Week is a week in July during which people who have either never fished, or who have not fished for many years, can be encouraged to try.

National Fishing Week embraces all disciplines within the sport, namely Sea, Coarse and Game Fishing and offers people the opportunity to try them out.

Get Hooked on Fishing is delighted to announce its involvement in National Fishing Week as managers of the 2008 events.

As a result of this we are seeking applications for the post of National Fishing Week Project Coordinator ... read more and apply here