Charity casts all life-saving records
16/05/2006
Life-saving funds raised by North East anglers for charity WaterAid have provided almost 500 people in Africa with the gift of water for life.
More than £6,600 was raised last season through a unique partnership between anglers, Northumberland tackle company Hardy & Greys and Northumbrian Water with all proceeds from friendly competitions going to the charity fund.
Fly and multi bait fishers together with coarse anglers helped raise the record sum celebrated at the fishing museum at Hardy & Greys headquarters in Alnwick.
Northumbrian Water’s Communications and PR Manager, Alistair Baker (left) is pictured with Hardy & Greys Commercial Director Ian McCormack (right).
Framed in the lifebelt is the head of a 152lb tarpon caught on Hardy tackle in Sierra Leone in 1920 after a three-hour fight by Col. Sir Rory Baynes, a Major in the Royal West African Frontier Force. He caught it from a dug out paddled canoe which the fish towed for two miles, leaping up to ten feet out of the water, before eventually being beached.
The first friendly WaterAid competition casts off this weekend (Sunday 21 May) at County Durham’s Derwent reservoir near Consett. The fly-only event will be fished on the north side of the reservoir and the winner will land a Northumbrian Water silver explorer season permit for 2007 worth more than £600.
Hardy & Greys have also donated vouchers worth more than £300 for the first, second and third placed anglers and for the captor of the biggest fish. Entries are being taken on the morning of the competition at Derwent reservoir fishing lodge from 8am. It costs £25 and fishing will be from 10am – 4pm. Information is available from kate.Lindsay@nwl.co.uk or by phone on 01434-611-806.
Ian McCormack said: “This is a great opportunity for all of us involved in angling to give something back while, at the same time, enjoying the sport we love. It’s a life-saving opportunity not to be missed.”
Alistair Baker, a keen fisherman himself, said: “A child dies every 15 seconds in the developing world from diseases caused by dirty water and it costs just £15 to provide clean drinking water, sanitation and hygiene education for one person for their entire life. Every entry to our competition will change someone’s life for ever.”
Northumbrian Water Hardy & Greys WaterAid Anglers’ Diary 2006
Contact: Kate.Lindsay@nwl.co.uk phone 01434-611-806
Sunday 21 May – WaterAid northsider – fly only fishing competition Derwent reservoir. Entry at fishing lodge from 8am. Fishing 10am – 4pm. Cost: £25
Sunday 11 June – WaterAid coarse challenge – Hury reservoir. Sixty pegs only, tickets essential available from local tackle shops fishing 10am – 3pm. Cost: £16
Sunday 18 June – WaterAid mid summer night owls – fly fishing from boats at Kielder reservoir 2pm – 10pm. Booking essential – includes lunch from noon. Cost: £60 per boat pair.
Sunday 13 August – WaterAid southsider – multi-bait competition (spinning also allowed) Derwent reservoir. Entry at fishing lodge from 8am. Fishing 10am – 4pm. £25
Monday 28 August – WaterAid coarse challenge – Whittle Dene reservoir. Fifty pegs only tickets essential available from local tackle shops. Fishing 11am – 4pm. £16.