YOUNGSTERS WITH DISABILITIES GET HOOKED ON FISHING THANKS TO VARIETY CLUB DONATION
August 30 2005
A Birmingham based organisation is now able to cast its net deeper into the community and offer membership to young people in wheelchairs, thanks to the donation of a sunshine coach from the Variety Club of Great Britain and Birmingham company, Poppleton & Appleby.
The new mini bus, with facilities for wheelchair access, was handed over to Andy Walker, Project Manager of Get Hooked on Fishing Midlands, supported by Bournville Village Trust (BVT) who set up the first "Get Hooked on Fishing" (GHOF) project in South Birmingham three years ago. Get Hooked on Fishing Midlands (GHOF) has won awards for the innovative approach it uses to combat anti social behaviour problems, initially on the Bournville estate. GHOF also uses angling to reconnect young people with education, develop new social skills, as well as helping them to learn new angling skills.
Terry Moseley of the British Disabled Angling Association (BDAA) said: "The BDAA teamed up with GHOF Midlands in order to ensure this partnership would offer fully inclusive fishing opportunities and social inclusion. We are delighted to be working with GHOF Midlands in the future, using the new accessible vehicle."
Andy Walker said: "We are extremely grateful for the generous donation from Poppleton & Appleby and the Variety Club. In the past, we have had enquiries from youngsters with disabilities who wanted to join the GHOF scheme and we have had to turn them down because of a lack of suitable transport. Membership is now really popular in the area and is quickly spreading throughout the Midlands region. With the addition of the sunshine coach, we can now offer membership to children with physical disabilities."
Click here to visit the Get Hooked on Fishing Midlands website: http://www.ghofmidlands.co.uk
