funding for angling

[Jim Gibbinson]

With regard to Sport England's four year funding settlement for angling; forgive my ignorance, but I'd like to ask what the funding (however much or modest it might be) is actually for? The mention of medals in Martin Salter MP's letter to Sport England's Chief Executive, Roger Draper, suggests that it might be primarily directed towards international competitions. Then again, the reference to having a good influence on youngsters and reducing antisocial behaviour, suggests that part of it might go towards angling schemes for youngsters. I'll refrain from commenting on the merits or otherwise of funding international competitions or schemes to get youngsters into fishing, but I'd like to know if these are the current and/or intended beneficiaries of funding; or will funding go somewhere else entirely. Only when we know where funding goes can we gauge whether or not angling should receive more of it or, indeed, if what we are already getting is being well spent.

 

[Ron 'The Hat' Clay]

I think that Martin Salter had to broach the competitive side of angling, especially when writing the likes of Roger Draper.

Most people like Draper, who is probably a non-angler, only see sports where competition on national and international level takes place. And we all know that match anging, both sea, coarse and trout, only attracts a small percentage of the greater angling public.

Like Jim, I certainly would like to see where the money will be spent, or is being spent.

 

[swordsy]

Its a refreshing change to see a politician being open and frank in his support for anglers.

 

[Deecy]

To get funding from a Government body or such things as the Lottery and Sport England you will have to show what you hope to achieve, how that will be achieved and how this will be measured.Results will have to be tangible ie medals.There is no way of showing how many kids have been turned from a life of crime.All the Olympic sports are under pressure to acheive medals, funding will now only go to those who are expected to achieve medal success.Therefore to get funding you must be an oustanding sports person already at the very top of your sport.It would be a refreshing change if projects like Les Webbers were given funding rather than a sponsored match angler who I suspect would gain far fewer admirers amongst kids than Terry Hearn or Dave Lane.

 

[Mike Heylin]

Jim

The SE funding grant was in response to the Whole Sport Plan for Angling submitted by the Joint Angling Governing Bodies.

The WSP was directed at the targets established by SE for coaching, development, inclusivity, ethnic diversity etc. All very good stuff but limited to the requirements of Sport England and their political masters.

SE funding does not cover international representation for angling as I understand it. What angling will now do with the money will depend, I imagine, on the talks which JAGB and SE must now have about prioritising the parts of the WSP which they can fund from the grant, which is much lower than they hoped for. I can't give you details because I do not have them, but I do have some of the background to this.

Martin used the medals pitch because angling is the most successful international sport we have, yet receives so little SE funding.

 

[Jim Gibbinson]

Mike

Thank you for the information.

I'm somewhat relieved to learn that SE funding does not cover international representation for angling.

 

[Pete Summner]

I am not sure we should underestimate th value in the eyes of the Government of using angling as a power to improve the lives of young disadvantaged people. I have just downloaded the details of the EA Consultation report from Anglers Say.
It appears from this that it is precisely the area the EA are moving into ? and with more resources ( I guess) than Sports England will ever ?tip up? I also note their support for Les Webber and get Hooked on Fishing up in the North East seems total which I think is a good thing.
The report also refers to Governing Bodies as having purely an official role (not sure what that means)

Surely the word duplication fits here if SE are funding FACT members to do the job why are the EA spending our Licence money on it ? is it a case that it is seen as sexier than long term work on Fisheries!

 

[Phil Hackett 2]

Could I respectfully suggest to those who are interested in this topic go on to SE web site and look at making an application for funding from them.

Many of the questions people are likely to ask will be covered in the briefing notes re. an application.

Mike does this as a volunteer, a very good professional one at that, but his time is limited and knowing him like I do, and because of his dedication is likely to answer post when he could perhaps be doing something more productive for the benefit of angling as whole.

So go and do some work for yourselves, you lazy Bar stewards :0) :0) :0)

 

[Mike Heylin]

FACT will be responding to the EA consultation paper Angling in 2015, as will each of the individual members of FACT and many individual anglers and clubs, I hope.

EA has been empowered by government to look seriously at angling development and anglers have a real chance to influence the EA policy with this consultation.

There is a big debate on whether "Angling Development" should be funded from licence revenue or from recreational budgets within the Agency. Your views on this would be valuable.

Sport England funding is valuable but limited, since we are not an Olympic sport. There are concerns about how SE view angling, expressed by many anglers and the fine resaults we enjoy in Internal competition do not seem to have much oinflunce with SE. Which is a pity.

 

[swordsy]

Well I think is about time we did become an olympic sport, if syncronised swimming, tennis, ping-pong, curling and walking can do it I do not see why we shouldnt get involved after all there is the rowing course to use.

 

[Jim Gibbinson]

Problem is, if angling became an olympic sport, some anglers might be tempted to take drugs....

Wouldn't want that, would we!?

 

[Ron 'The Hat' Clay]

"Tempted to take drugs!"

You should smell what carp anglers smoke in their bivvies these days Jim.

 

[GrahamM]

Not just carp anglers Ron, they just happen to be the majority of bivvy users.

 

[Woody (Cheeky Monkey)]

That rowing course has soem amned nice fish in it too. Just not enough of them yet and not enough different species.

 

[swordsy]

Nice try woody :O)

Try again, theres no way I'm falling for that one!

Or would you have liked me to have said we could always stock it with ozzy carp, F1's and non-indigeonous species!

LOL

 

[swordsy]

Anyone seen the list of cash for sports in AT today 20 odd million quid for football no european cup no world cup for 40 years what a load of crap, what would it have hurt to have skimmed a million off footy and put it into angling at junior "club" level.

The european and world medal list and the all round good values that angling promotes it is a shame on sport England that we as anglers continue to be ignored or at the very best treat with such contempt that it is a black mark on the validity of sport Englands credentials to control the funding for our sports.


0/10 poor show must do better!

 

[Phil Hackett 2]

Lee I couldn?t agree more. SE derives its funding from the Lottery and as angling is the largest participant sport in the UK, it?s likely that its participants contribute the most to it from any sporting body. But as you point out it gets very little in return.

SE has moved its focus on to supporting only Olympic sports and footy, who did they consult before they made this decision?.. The paying public? I don?t think so!
In fact they consulted no one other than as far as I can tell the Govt.

As a personal protest I will not play the lottery now because of this decision and other they have made regarding Heritage Lottery fund and the Children?s fund.

I?d suggest that if all anglers stopped playing it and told them why, there?d be a very swift change in policy.

There?s also been a shift away from good causes into funding things taxation is meant to fund. This govt has frankly corrupt the ethos of the lottery for its own penny pinching ends.

 

[Woody (Cheeky Monkey)]

I stopped buying tickets many years ago when they gave pots of money to the opera and to pay for paintings. It was millions, some of which would be a godsend to childrens groups and small sports clubs.

The people who benefitted were amongst the richest in the land and probably didn't buy tickets anyway. It was another way of transferring money from the foolish suckers to the blood suckers.

Save a picture? The picture will still exist wherever it is and we have enough photos and copies of most art now. Although I will agree, there's nothing like standing close to a masterpiece and thinking that van Gogh, Rubens, Valasquez, or Manet had his hands on that canvas. But if I want to see a Dali or a Picasso I can easily go to Spain to see one.

 

[swordsy]

The opera and the churchill memoirs were simply a disgrace.

 

[Jim Gibbinson]

The Lottery....

Grants to opera etc. are as valid as grants elsewhere, surely? Angling clubs can apply, too (my brother, for example, is a member of an Essex angling club that has benefited from a substantial Lottery grant).

Pesonally, I don't buy tickets as I regard the Lottery as a tax on the Stupid. But those who do, don't buy them because they have this burning desire to support "good causes"; they buy them because they harbour the deluded notion that it might make them rich.