Phillipa (Pippa) Winser has been part of the Fishing for Schools family for more than three years, supporting schools across the eastern region and working alongside her husband, fellow Fishing for Schools coach, Richard. She brings a distinctive blend of experience to the team, shaped by a successful career in the police force, and has thrown herself into the world of fishing since retiring.
What do you do now, apart from Fishing for Schools, and what should we also know about you?
I have a whole range of interests in addition to fishing. I am a County Coordinator for the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, a Community First Responder for the East of England Ambulance Service. I am also involved in humanitarian work overseas and have recently concluded a career in the police service, culminating as a Chief Inspector. My husband, Richard, and I run the Fly Fishing Academy in addition to instructing in the Eastern Region with the Fishing for Schools Programme.
When did you start fishing?
I was first acquainted with fishing by my father. We would always fish on the south coast during our family holidays to Cornwall and I would invariably accompany him.
Richard and I live on the shore at Grafham Water with our daughter, but we fish all over the UK and further afield when the opportunities arise. I started guiding for fishing charities over twelve years ago and working with special needs children, this was and continues to be immensely rewarding. Not many people can also claim they are married to the genuine Father Christmas!
What inspired you to start fishing?
When I ask others this question, invariably they mention the Mortimer and Whitehouse “Gone Fishing” series. Whilst Bob and Paul can’t take credit for me starting to fly fish, they certainly inspired me to diversify further with coarse fishing, which has been critical as part of my Fishing for Schools coaching role.
What made you want to become a coach?
I have been coaching at various levels for the last twelve years. During the last 18 months of my policing career, I was teaching on nearly every available rest day. Angling instruction had to be registered as an external business interest (to comply with police service regulations). Coaching as a term embraces a large spectrum of activity; what I deliver as a Fishing for Schools Instructor requires a distinct and specialist skill set, much of which is founded from transferable skills acquired during my police career.
When did you become a coach?
Undertaking the Sport England L2CCA Game Angling Coaching course in January 2023 was a natural progression for me and placed things on a formal footing. I had been coaching for a significant period before completing the course and operating with diverse students enduring disability or barriers to learning, all of which exceeded Level 2 course expectations.
When did you join Fishing for Schools, and why?
During lockdown restrictions we were prevented from mixing outside of our immediate households. I started assisting Richard to deliver some Fishing for Schools courses around that period and joined the initiative fully, a couple of years later.
What has given you the most pleasure in working for Fishing for Schools?
Working for Fishing for Schools has been tremendous fun, we have a great team in the Eastern Region and a great relationship with our schools and respective teaching staff.
Our protracted engagement with Aylsham High School in Norfolk, led to them being recognised in the ‘Outstanding Commitment to Special Educational Needs and Disability’ and ‘Teacher of the Year’ categories at the Norfolk Education Awards 2023. Working with students that have profound disability at Corby Business Academy in Northamptonshire, has been inspirational. It was the catalyst for me to complete a diploma in British Sign Language in 2024, which I achieved with distinction.
What is the most difficult part of Fishing for Schools?
Funding is the single most critical factor, secondly would be sponsorship from the fishing tackle industry. Without funding and support delivering the Fishing for Schools agenda could not be possible, or at best, would be considerably more difficult.
What is your main aim for a Fishing for Schools session?
My main aim for any session is to make it safe, interactive, enjoyable and fun. We inject charisma and energy (of nuclear fusion proportions) to make it vibrant and memorable. Underneath, there is meticulous planning and preparation, I am a firm believer that you get out what you put in.
How do you personally measure a Fishing for Schools session?
Reflection and continuous improvement are two key aspects that I consider after every session. Our audience is diverse and often of mixed ability, one style is not necessarily universally suitable for all, it requires constant adjustment and refinement. If an approach does not work as well as anticipated, changing to one that does is critical. The wider educational objectives are set in conjunction with the school, this is a team effort, the feedback from teaching staff is imperative to getting things right. They know their students better than we can ever expect to do, with our brief interface.
Why do you believe in Fishing for Schools?
Fishing for Schools creates an opportunity that sadly some individuals seldom have, if you are not related or know someone that can take you fishing, how would you step into that transition and experience all that angling can offer?
What is the future for Fishing for Schools, do you think?
If the finances are in place, there is scope to expand the Fishing for Schools programme and deliver over a wider geographical area, which in turn reaches more schools. However, with that expansion comes the need to increase the management, coordination, revenue generation and infrastructure that underpins everything. It is not as simple as employing extra coaching staff and taking on more. With the recent Angling & Countryside qualification; we have very viable assets in our coaching armoury to move forward.
Why should people who are both anglers & non anglers, get behind Fishing for Schools?
Any activity that encourages people away from “electronic entertainment” should be encouraged and applauded. Whilst the internet, gaming and mobile phones are a critical component in our modern world, we risk losing our connection to nature and the wealth of satisfaction that outside pursuits can bring. Fishing for Schools reaffirms that and harnesses the therapeutic aspects of angling with those who thrive outside of a conventional education setting.
Where do you see Fishing for Schools in 5 years’ time?
Since fishing for Schools was conceived there have been several other organisations offering angling experiences and engaging in educational settings. Whilst that can be interpreted as testimony to what has been achieved by the Countryside Alliance Foundation, and their syllabus may be different, we (Fishing for Schools) cannot afford to be complacent. We must strive to be at the fore of innovation, receptive to change and dynamically leading in engaging students to derive educational benefits; after all there are evidently more of these organisations now competing for the same funding opportunities.
Country sports are also increasingly under threat from an element of our society that seek to erode our interests. Often, these people seek to influence public opinion through misinformation. As an organisation, I strongly believe we have a responsibility to promote angling in a positive way.