The reporting year 22-23 was one of the busiest the charity has had in regards to outreach projects and development works to the fishery. Given the country was still reeling from effects of Covid 19 there certainly seemed to be an increased need in our community for healthier outdoor activities which got folk out again talking to each other. We benefited greatly from some financial support from Adrian at Encore Parcs who assisted in funding projects close to his businesses on the Peninsula. This boost came almost by chance when he saw Walter one day unpacking his fishing gear away and asked where he had been. Walter explained what we did and the following week Adrian came up and had a look whilst we were running one of our projects. He was immediately impressed and agreed to fund several youth group visits in the months to come.
The first group to return after Covid was Mental Health Charity Oasis who got the year off to a start on 18th May. We were then to welcome a 2nd visit from Oasis, Ashfield Boys, Loughries Mens Shed, Blesma Limbless Veterans, Belfast City Mission, AMH Promote, Donaghadee Youth Club, Ballyhalbert Youth Club, Westwinds Hens Shed, The Link Family Centre, Scrabo Ladies plus plenty other individual projects. We also ran an additional funded project from Ulster Angling Foundation where we used Movilla Fly Fishery to run 2 days game fishing coaching led by our Level 2 coach George Freel. The final group of the year was right up to Halloween where we again hosted Ballyhalbert youth club for a “Halloween/fishing/pizza” party - don't see those words together too often..
It is only with the help of volunteers that these important projects can be organized and run so successfully. The subscription fees for the charity everyone pays would simply not cover all the yearly bills we get and the funding attracted by events is the only way we can keep subscriptions so low but still operate so successfully. Lastly my personal special thanks to our Chef Mark who quite often eclipsed the fishing with his fantastic catering and superb strawberry and cream scones.
Moving ahead I look forward to my position within the charity and have plans to reach out to even more challenging members of our community. To us we are very lucky we can call angling our hobby where we can meet and make many new friends. To others it is a unique opportunity to come to a very special and safe environment where they can try something which may change their life from that day onwards. I do not say that lightly but I am also in a good position to follow up on many of our adventures and can assure you all of the huge impact made on people's lives.