Fellow anglers of any discipline a plea for assistance if you could possibly help [It won’t cost anything other than a couple of minutes of your time!].
I hope all of you are aware of an organisation called Angling Projects in Wraysbury, Berkshire which was set up by a chap called Les Webber in 1976 to offer angling opportunities to groups who might not get a chance to try fishing otherwise. With a hook-line of ‘Get Hooked on Fishing Not Drugs or Crime’ the organisation offers absolutely free of charge a first class facility where the kids learn not only about fishing but teamwork ie fishery repair work alongside domestic duties such as cooking for the group, making their own beds each day, etc, etc. I want to keep this post fairly short so to see more of the excellent work Les does please follow this link: http://www.angling-projects.org.uk/
Les over the years has been awarded an MBE for services to angling and this week will pick up a Queen’s Award for services to angling and he has, at last, finally been able to register the organisation as a charitable project which will help somewhat with companies wishing to make cash donations as he receives no financial support whatsoever from government or the angling governing bodies, in fact in the 30+ years in operation he’s spent an estimated £60,000 of his own money to keep the project going !
Now the reason I’m posting this is because the Angling Times Annual Awards are coming up soon and I would like to see angling and anglers recognise his contribution not only to our sport but to the community as a whole and the way you can help is by visiting the awards voting page and cast your votes in the following categories [1] Services to Angling – where he’s up against 2 paid employees and a fishery owner and Lifetime Achievement – where you will need to vote ‘Other’ and insert the name Les Webber. The link to the awards page is as follows:
http://www.gofishing.co.uk/Angling-Times/Section/Angling-Times-Tackle-Awards-2012/
Les won’t thank me for telling you this but he’s now in his 70’s and I think it’s commendable that someone of his age should continue to chase this dream of providing a first class facility for kids to enjoy when he could quite easily put his feet up and retire ! Organisations such as Get Hooked on Fishing, CAST and a host of others have all used Angling Projects as a template to start up their own schemes and it is for this very reason I ask you all to help get Les the recognition he deserves.
Please just take the few minutes it will take in your busy lives to look at the 2 websites and hopefully you will be persuaded that it is a very good reason to vote for Les ! Again Les won’t thank me for doing this and he’s not in it for personal gratification but the publicity alone can only help secure donations of tackle and finances to help this very worthwhile project which has seen hundreds if not thousands of kids use the facilities over the last 30+ years.
Thank you in anticipation of your votes.
TF_Paddy.
