Swapping the classroom for the riverbank and exchanging pencils for rods

In a week where many schools have been sending children home because of the soaring temperatures, the Countryside Alliance Ireland has been ditching the classroom for the riverbank, the pencil for rods and exchanging ties for smiles. While other schools were worried about students catching a tan, for a class of students from Beechlawn school in Hillsborough their only worry was catching fish at yet another successful Fishing for Schools event.

For readers who may be unfamiliar with Fishing for Schools, it is a project that was started by the Countryside Alliance in 2007, with an initial aim to help students with learning difficulties re-engage with education through the joy and many outlets angling has to offer. Since then, it has grown into a hugely successful educational programme taking school children of all ages and abilities from across the UK and introducing them to the countryside, nature and outdoor learning. Still fresh to my role within the Countryside Alliance Ireland, I had the pleasure of experiencing a day at a Fishing for Schools event for the first time this week.

The four-day programme was held at Beechill the home of Northern Irelands Cross Community Angling, this amazing work is delivered by the Ulster Angling Federation on behalf of Fishing for Schools. Upon my arrival the 20-sum class of Beechlawn boys were engaged with one of the volunteers who help run the event, learning about a willow hedge that had been planted around the fishery to aid habitat growth and support biodiversity throughout the site. It immediately struck me as a vital part of the learning for students, teaching that while we get to enjoy the countryside and the activities within it, our priorities must remain focused on conserving and sustaining it.

After the talk the boys went off to set up their stations for their second day of angling, having spent the day before getting to grips with the basics. I took this moment to speak to David Thompson of the Ulster Angling Federation, who is responsible for the coordination of our Fishing for Schools events in NI, to learn a little more about Fishing for Schools, what it means to him and the students in attendance. He told me how Fishing for Schools is about so much more than teaching children how to fish or even the thrill of the catch, but with a generation that seems glued to their phones and devices, getting young people to step away from them even for a few hours can completely change their personalities and outlooks for the better.

Of course, the benefits of spending time outdoors are well documented and activities such as angling can improve both mental and physical health, helping young people to relax, improve concentration and build confidence. But equally important, David explained, is the social aspect. He shared a story with me about a young girl with learning difficulties who had attended a previous event and upon successfully landing a fish shouted in delight, “I have caught a fish!”

This familiar shriek of joy is one that has echoed across many riverbanks, and which any keen anglers will be familiar with. However, on this instance the teacher came rushing over, completely shocked, not at the size of the fish nor its type, but at simply hearing the young girl speak. The teacher explained to David that in all the years he had been teaching her, this was the first time he had ever heard the girl say anything. David added that for many attending Fishing for Schools’ events throughout their week, it can be the only time they spend outdoors other than traveling to and from school.

The programme also provides young people who struggle to connect the classroom to the world around them a way to do so. Whether it's understanding units of measure for the length of their fishing line or the weight of their catch, the learning opportunities within fishing are endless and its benefits were clear to see.

As far as first experiences go, it was truly memorable. One young angler landed a club record roach from the area of water he was fishing; another celebrated his birthday on the bank and several of the lads caught fish well into double figures, keeping the rods bent and smiles firmly on faces throughout the day. It was a wonderful reminder for me of the value within country sports and the perfect demonstration of just how impactful the F4S services are and continue to be.

I would encourage anyone who knows of a school whose students might benefit from the work of the initiative to find out more on the Fishing for Schools website https://www.countryside-alliance.org/fishingforschools, or email fishing@ca-foundation.org to inquire further, ensuring this extraordinary work can continue to have profound impacts within future generations.