Community News From Around Our Area

Bank Life Fishing Provides Fun in the Fresh Air for Children at the Friendship Project

Bank Life fishing is a family run company based in Cambridgeshire whose aim is to get as many people and families out on the bank enjoying the great outdoors and together creating lasting memories. They kindly donated fishing experiences to Warwickshire based children’s charity, the Friendship Project, which some of the Younger Friends and their volunteer Older Friends enjoyed earlier this year.

To be able to provide these fishing experiences, Bank Life created a charity pot where they run competitions and use their profits to arrange and fund events to benefit young people and give them the opportunity to have a go at fishing and to get away from day-to-day stresses and struggles.

The Friendship Project for Children has attended 4 different fishing events, where the children have been paired up with an expert angler to help them with all the fishing aspects, from baiting the line to landing the fish.

The transformation in the children (and the adults) has been amazing. Children who were reluctant at the beginning of the day were skipping lunch and dragging their experts back to do more fishing! The giggles and shrieks of enjoyment were heard around the lake as the fish were caught in huge numbers and hauled into landing nets for photo opportunities.

The Angling Trust ‘Get Fishing Awards’ saw 17 children achieve their bronze award, 12 silver and 4 gold. Of course, none of this would have been possible without the quality bait and tackle supplied for the day by Tackle Shack Nuneaton, Carp Particles UK and Stevenage Bait and Tackle Limited.

Angela Truman, Marketing Trustee for the Friendship Project commented, “So many people donated to help these fantastic days to happen at Oak Farm and Burton Farm Fisheries in Rugby. The venues and hospitality were truly fantastic, and we are so grateful to everyone who made it possible.

“The mental health and wellbeing of young people is so important and getting out in the fresh air with supportive adults is such a positive thing for them to experience.”

Post Covid lockdowns, there has been a lot of interest in mental health and wellbeing, especially with our young people. The Friendship Project for Children has been actively supporting children through the whole of the pandemic and were delighted when the Older Friends were able to resume face-to-face visits with their Younger Friends.

If you would like to get involved or learn more about the Friendship Project for Children visit www.friendshipproject.co.uk or follow them on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook @friendshipProj.