Views From The Field

This page provides primary source data from interviews, comment tools and other qualitative material generated by the research. Also available, are the full results from our themed online comment tool. You can also filter the data by respondent type in the box below.

Angler

Aaron, angler, on the relationship between angling and the environment

A lot of the time events such as the erosion of riverbanks, or unexplained death of fish and wildlife, are spotted by fisherman first; most fishermen...

Tags: environment, erosion, fish, littering, publicity, wildlife
Brent, disabled angler, explains how important angling is to him

My disability is osteogenesis imperfecta which is brittle bones; this can mean that the smallest of knocks can result in a broken bone. I have to...

Tags: disability, mental health, therapeutic
Chris, angler, talks about the amount of social interaction associated with angling

One of the beauties of angling is I can decide I am going fishing now, without having to consult other members of a team, or a club. So in fact, if...

Tags: clubs, escape, independence, social
Darren, angler, talks about how angling effects his mental health

Angling is excellent for your mental health. Every time I’ve been fishing with a problem or feeling stressed I have come back feeling so much more...

Tags: contemplation, mental health, stress
Edward, angler, on how angling is perceived by the non-angling public

Unfortunately angling is not a spectator sport/activity, as most of the time it appears that nothing is happening. Unless people have experienced it...

Tags: non-anglers, personal experience, public perception
Female angler on learning to fish and art

My father stared me fishing, and every year we used to holiday on the Norfolk Broads. It was everyday, fish, fish, from first chink of light to no...

Tags: art, female, nature, parents
Lousie, angler, on the benefits of joining an angling club like Fishing for Everyone

Fishing doesn't have to be expensive. I think it is helpful to join a club and see what is on offer. It gives you a chance to experience different...

Tags: choice, clubs, coaching, cost
Martin, angler, on what motivates him to go fishing

It's a multitude of things. It's the anticipation of waiting to catch something, the excitement when you get a bite and strike, the fight if it's a...

Tags: anticipation, excitement, food, relaxation, solititude
Percy, angler, talks about how physically active he is when he goes angling

The amount of physical exertion depends on the location. Sometimes you can pop out the car and go straight onto the fishing spot, other times you...

Tags: physical activity, walking

Non-angler

Councillor Jean O’Donnell on the re-development of Charlton's pond.

Charlton's Pond's falling somewhere between a park and a civic amenity. Until parks and gardens wake up and realise this, we’ll still have this small...

Tags: community, engagement, park
Councillor Mrs Jean O’Donnell on the tranquillity of angling

There’s a certain discipline with regard to fishing. It’s not one of your wild activities. There's something really rather pleasant and calming about...

Tags: nature, parents, therapeutic, young people
Family intervention worker, on GHOF and the importance of role models

I think angling intervention programs like GHOF work because young people are getting appropriate role models. Sometimes a lot of these kids haven’t...

Tags: GHOF, parents, role models, young people
Local Mum, on the benefits of fishing spaces like Charlton’s Pond, Billingham.

Fishing spaces like Charlton’s Pond are absolutely brilliant. It's even good for the parents to have a spare half hour to chill out. Every time...

Tags: community, family, parents, relaxing, young people
Local Mum, on the positive atmosphere at Charlton’s Pond, Billingham.

Charlton's Pond is ideal for the kids that are local, because a lot of them can come on their bikes or walk. We’re just so chuffed that it’s...

Tags: community, cost, family, intergenerational, parents, young people
Lynne, Teacher (Shropshire) on the positive impact on student behaviour

Angling helps with behaviour, it certainly reaches students who may be misfits, loners, who don't have lots of friends, and are quiet. Angling gives...

Tags: achievement, behaviour, school, teacher, young people
Mark, Teacher (Crewe) on opportunities for intergenerational engagement

Angling works because at the end of the day education is about building positive relationships. Mainstream sport does engage a lot of disaffected...

Tags: behaviour, intergenerational, relationships, teacher, young people
Mark, Teacher (Crewe), on raising student aspirations

We've found angling courses have improved student behaviour in school because they feel they have something to works towards. These students are not...

Tags: aspirations, behaviour, GHOF, school, teacher, young people
Sarah, who has a son with cerebral palsy, talks about fishing at Albrighton Moat & Gardens

It's not far from where we live and a nice day out for Dylan - because, obviously, he can't do a lot. It's nice and quiet here and especially like...

Tags: Albrighton Moat & Gardens, interactive, relaxing, special needs, therapeutic, young people
Sergeant Smith (Shropshire), on building relationships with young people

What angling does is give you time to sit there and chat to young people. We do football sessions, but the difference with football is that you are...

Tags: anti-social behaviour, diversion, police, relationships, young people
Tony, Vocational Tutor (Northumberland), on the calming nature of angling

Some of the kids we take angling are big trouble in class but are pussycats when we take them out. They don’t cause us any trouble. How can it be...

Tags: behaviour, calming, hyperactivity, school, teacher, young people
Tony, Vocational Tutor (Northumberland), on why angling appeals more than football

Not everyone likes football. Fishing's relaxing and it’s uncompetitive. A lot of kids don’t like the idea of playing football, because they’re little...

Tags: relaxing, social, sport, teacher, uncompetitive, young people

Angling Professional

Neil, Tackle Box shop owner (Billingham) on supporting the local junior angling club

The Tackle Box is the centre for the local angling club. So basically anything to do with the club, if you want to join the club, you come here first...

Tags: community, tackle shop, trade, young people
Neil, Tackle Box shop owner, on the return of community to Charlton's Pond.

Charlton's Pond’s been sown from a pretty poor area. It used to create a habitat for a lot of unsavoury people, and that has been changed around now...

Tags: community, restoration
PC Gary Poser, coordinator of the BAIT project, Nottingham

There used to be a big barrier on this estate, if you ever said anything to the police people would think you were a grass. If police had knocked...

Tags: anti-social behaviour, community, diversion, police, relationships, young people
Robbie, level 2 Coach, on encouraging juniors at Billingham Angling Club

I’d like to think that there is something available for people whose parents are out of work and are on low income that can’t afford to get the kids...

Tags: coaching, disadvantaged, free, Junior Club, volunteers, young people
Robbie, level 2 coach, on his involvement in the restoration of Charlton’s Pond

We used to come over here as kids and fish the pond but it was starting to get run down. Teenagers were coming over here drinking and drug abuse and...

Tags: community, Junior Club, restoration, volunteers, young people