We're 50!! CfR celebrates retreat milestone

The 50th Casting for Recovery UK & Ireland retreat, since the charity began in 2007, took place on 17-19 May at Garnffwrd Fishery, Llanelli, South Wales

Casting for Recovery UK & Ireland (CfR), the medical fly-fishing programme for ladies who have or have had breast cancer, celebrated its 50^th retreat on 17-19 May with a visit to the Garnffrwd Fishery in Llanelli, South Wales.

Retreat coordinator Sue Shaw said: "We have come a long way since starting in 2007 and were delighted to celebrate this landmark by hosting a second retreat at this lovely fishery with 12 ladies from as far field as Motherwell, London, Southampton, Durham and of course Wales.

"The weather was with us and there were delighted whoops from around the lakeside as quite a few of the participants successfully caught trout on the Sunday, to take home with them. The ladies were very ably assisted by their guides, who were mostly men and women from the Welsh International squad."

As befitted the occasion there were two lovely cakes – one courtesy of one of the participants, Norma - and each of the ladies received a Welsh slate plaque as a memento of the occasion and goodie bag of Welsh produce.

Countryside Alliance director for Wales, Rachel Evans added: "It was a fantastic retreat and I feel really privileged that this very special anniversary should land on the Wales retreat date."

Casting for Recovery UK & Ireland is run by The Countryside Alliance Foundation (TCAF), the charity set up to increase access to the countryside and to use it for education, fun and healing. It works on the simple principle that fly fishing is wonderful therapy for those recovering from breast cancer.

The programme takes ladies on a two-day residential retreat where fly fishing tuition is part of a packed itinerary that also includes counselling, relaxation, mindlfulness and medical support. The residential retreat aims to help both body and mind, with the medical and counselling aspects complementing the gentle physical therapy of the fly-casting motion.

We are extremely grateful to the fly fishing and medical volunteers who take time to ensure that the ladies all enjoy their weekend and to our generous hosts.

CfR will run six retreats throughout 2019. Our next takes place at the Mount Falcon Estate in Co Mayo from 21-23 June and applications are open for our retreat at Forbes of Kingennie, Dundee from 13-15 September. Applications can be made through out website - https://www.countryside-alliance.org/charity/casting-for-recovery-uk-ireland