070 - volunteer profile - The Angler spring 2014_News page A.qxd 20/03/2014 14:46 Page 70
ANGLING TRUST
VOLUNTEER
You too can be a champion Kevin (inset) and, above, helping an angler
Last year the Angling Trust and Sport England agreed a new angling participation plan. Under the heading Let’s Fish, it is aimed at getting more adults fishing regularly. We set about training a small army of volunteer champions to provide Let’s Fish programmes across England. DEAN ASPLIN, the Angling Trust’s regional officer for the South West of England, met one of the new champions. evin Richardson is one of the Volunteer Champions I have been supporting in the South West and he sat down with me for a chat recently so I could dig a bit deeper as to why he decided to become a volunteer. He explained; “I have been a member of the Angling Trust for about four years now and in that time I have seen the organisation go from strength to strength, I really appreciate what the trust is trying to do for angling. I wanted to be part of it and also give something back to this fantastic sport.” Always nice to hear, but what did he think of the free Volunteer Champion training he was given and had it been useful? “It was very useful, yes! Not only did it teach me how to run the Let’s Fish programmes in a safe manner and to the Angling Trust guidelines but it was also a
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If you would like to become a Volunteer Champion or would like to be introduced to another Volunteer Champion based locally to you then please contact me on dean.asplin@anglingtrust.net or 07854 239731. chance to meet the other Volunteer Champions and share in each other’s knowledge and experiences. The free waterproof clothing we received was a nice touch too!” The Angling Trust Let’s Fish sessions are designed to offer single anglers the chance to come along and meet other anglers while having a fish and socialising a little. Had it been easy though? “Well to be honest we had a bit of a slow start and, disappointingly, I had to cancel
my first attempt due to a lack of participants but things are looking much better now. Numbers have been increasing steadily. People are already asking when the next event will be, which after all, is what the Let’s Fish programme is all about, getting more people fishing more often. I already have 25 people booked in for our next Let’s Fish event at Burton Springs fishery in Somerset.” It just goes to show how many anglers out there can be encouraged to fish more often given the right environment. So what plans does Kevin have next? “Well I have just completed the Level 2 coaching award so I not only hope to carry on as a Volunteer Champion but now be able to offer some small group or even individual coaching.”
Tight lines and Let’s Fish! Spring 2014