An Eggesford couple have presented Casting for Recovery UK & Ireland with a £1000 donation raised by doing conservation work on the Fox & Hounds estate. Geoff and Lyn Farenden were able to present a cheque to Casting for Recovery UK & Ireland's Sue Shaw to ensure it can hold more of its unique fly fishing and therapy retreats.
In the past Linda Farenden attended a Casting for Recovery UK & Ireland retreat at the Arundell Arms at Lifton, both as a guest and then later as a member of the volunteer retreat staff. This, combined with the fact that the Fox & Hounds Hotel is a specialist west country fishing venue made the Casting for Recovery UK & Ireland charity, which is part-funded by the Countryside Alliance, the obvious choice for the donation.
Casting for Recovery UK & Ireland provides fly fishing programmes at idyllic retreats around the UK and Ireland. Any woman who has experienced breast cancer is eligible to apply to attend a retreat (with medical clearance from their doctor). Retreats take place over two-and-a-half days and all accommodation, meals, counselling, and professional instruction are provided at no cost to participants. Trained medical staff and fly fishing instructors are on hand at all times, the Countryside Alliance is a major financial backer and all fishing tackle and appropriate clothing is provided by Orvis UK.
Linda said: "Having carried out voluntary work on the Fox & Hounds Estate we were surprised when the owners of the Fox & Hounds Hotel, Nick and Tara Culverhouse, in recognition of the work carried out, presented a cheque to be donated to a breast cancer charity of their choice. We hope the £1000 will assist Casting for Recovery, in some small way, to continue with their valuable work in helping those recovering from breast cancer."
The UK and Ireland Executive Officer is Sue Shaw, who was delighted to receive the cheque. Sue said: "It was a pleasure to meet Linda at the Arundell Arms and we are all bowled over by the generosity that she and her husband Geoff have shown to our small charity. Our priority is always to support the lady participants on retreat and to give them an unforgettable experience, and through Linda's generosity it looks like we are getting that right!"