Active Notts announce the Get Fishing Fund has been established to support organisations delivering a programme of angling activities throughout 2022.
As a means of encouraging the wellbeing benefits the sport can offer, supported activities aim to help get more people into fishing.
Building on the success of the original launch of the fund in December 2020, the Environment Agency and Angling Trust have announced an additional £100,000 of investment to encourage more people to give fishing a go for the first time in 2022.
Funded from fishing licence sales, grants of up to £2,500 are available to benefit angling-based projects.
Clive Copeland, Head of Participation at the Angling Trust, said the Get Fishing Fund is an “inventive” way to grow participation in fishing.
He said: “The Get Fishing Fund has been a forward-thinking and inventive way of re-investing fishing licence money back into growing participation in angling.
“It should be applauded for the way it has enabled 140 projects to provide thousands of opportunities for people to give fishing a go.
“I have been to some of these clubs, fisheries and charities, and seen how they have used their funding to kick-start fishing sessions – even a small amount of funding can go a long way to get lessons, equipment or a coach in place.
“It’s important that applicants get their forms in early so we can start processing and funding more and more brilliant ways to support newcomers to Get Fishing.”
The funding can be used to help purchase equipment, fishing tackle and resources to run fishing events and activities to give people the opportunity to try fishing.
Heidi Stone, Fisheries Partnerships Manager at the Environment Agency, said the partnership will “support great projects” in its aim to provide people with an enjoyable experience as they catch their first fish.
She said: “Working in partnership with the Angling Trust, we are delighted to support the Get Fishing Fund again.
“The investment of fishing licence income will support great projects to help grow angling, giving more people the opportunity to take part in events and experience the joy of catching a fish for the first time.
“Angling is a sport that everyone can enjoy and there is growing evidence of the health and well-being benefits of getting outdoors. We hope that the Get Fishing Fund will help first-time anglers form a habit of a lifetime.”
Applications are accepted from angling clubs, fisheries, charities, schools and local authorities in England that want to increase the number of people being introduced to angling.
More information can be found here.
