Gary McCartney, Countryside Alliance’s Director for Northern Ireland, shares insights on the exciting launch of Fishing for Schools in Northern Ireland this year.
Since joining Countryside Alliance Ireland in 2017, I have been interested in The Countryside Alliance Foundation’s (TCAF) Fishing for Schools (F4S) project and its unique learning delivery. This project gets young people out from the classroom and into the countryside using fishing as a medium for learning school subjects such as maths and science, while introducing them to the countryside, its wildlife, flora and fauna.
Following some fundraising here in Northern Ireland for TCAF, I thought it would be an ideal time to explore expanding F4S to Northern Ireland, something I knew Charlie and the team were also keen to do. Sadly, this was quickly shelved due to the Covid 19 pandemic, but it was certainly not forgotten.
We quickly decided the best course of action to enable us to move the project forward was with the help of the Ulster Anglers Federation (UAF) as delivery partners and who were also keen on the project.
F4S is focused on schools with the greatest need, so we were delighted to deliver our first event in September this year to St Gerard’s co-educational special school that caters for pupils from the ages of 3-19 with a range of additional needs.
Like all events, nothing quite goes to plan, and despite much communication with the local council, relevant permissions were not achieved in time. Many thanks to David Thompson from the UAF for quickly securing another location at the Northern Ireland Cross Community Angling Beechhill facility, a picturesque and idyllic venue set in the hills around Newtownards.
Right from the pickup at the school, it was clear the project had created a real buzz in the school - not to mention getting a trip out!
"From the moment they arrived at Beechhill, the children were completely captivated, discovering a place they never knew existed. They were amazed to see dragonflies and the various bird life dancing above and around the water - something they had never seen before. The fishing wasn’t bad either, with almost all catching at least one fish."
On reflection, the event offered far more than just an opportunity to use fishing as a vehicle to learning. It clearly offered the young people some peace, mindfulness, and an opportunity to be absorbed into another world - a pastoral passive landscape - which is a far cry from the hustle and bustle of city life.
The events of the day had clearly taken a toll and by the time we were making our way back in the minibus, many of the children were exhausted from busy day they had. However, a comment by one of the teachers stood out, when they said most of the kids when they get home will be in for the night, highlighting what limited opportunities they had to access the countryside, making the F4S event even more worthwhile.
The positivity F4S has brought to the lucky schools that were selected to take part in the programme can not be underestimated. This was highlighted in the feedback received from Sacred Heart Primary School Rock, during a discussion about F4S on BBC Radio Ulster. You can listen to it here.
Having seen the positive impact of F4S, we would very much like to expand and offer more places to young people across Northern Ireland. However, we can only achieve this with your support, and we kindly ask that you continue to donate and help sustain this worthwhile cause.