Twenty-four young anglers from across the UK were recognised at the House of Commons yesterday (15 November) in the Fishing for Schools Champions Awards – and MP for Chichester Gillian Keegan was on hand to congratulate Ben Welch from Midhurst Rother School West Sussex.
Fishing for Schools is an initiative run by The Countryside Alliance Foundation, the charitable arm of the Countryside Alliance. It provides short angling courses at schools across the country, to aid the education of 12 to 18-year-olds who may not respond to traditional classroom-based learning but flourish when you get them outside onto the water. It celebrates its tenth anniversary this year.
Many of the youngsters who fish through Fishing for Schools have physical, learning or behavioural difficulties which mean they are not always in mainstream education. Each school was asked to nominate one child whom they thought had achieved the most through the course to be their champion and it is these youngsters who were commended at the reception on Wednesday.
Ben Welch was nominated for the award by school director of welfare, Paul Thompson, who said:
“Ben is one of life’s doers. Totally unselfish, he would help anyone in a heartbeat. He is incredibly hard working at college. He is so polite and very well mannered. During the fly fishing with Fishing for Schools, he listened so carefully and was more than able and knowledgeable to answer all the questions that Rob posed, but he let others answer. A truly lovely young man.
Gillian Keegan MP said: “I was delighted to attend the Fishing for Schools Champions Awards and meet Ben. He and the other young champions recognised through the awards are truly inspirational. I thoroughly support the aims of Fishing for Schools.
Fishing for Schools director Charles Jardine added: “These students are a tremendous example of what is achieved through Fishing for Schools. Many of them have had challenging school careers but fishing is a sport without barriers and seems to have struck a chord with these students, offering something they can achieve and benefit from and teaching all manner of life skills along the way. I congratulate them all.”