Youngsters catch the fishing bug at Farmoor Reservoir day

Children from six Oxfordshire schools enjoyed some fishy fun at Farmoor Reservoir yesterday (30 April) at an event run jointly by Fishing 4 Schools, The Angling Trust and Thames Water.

The youngsters, from Springfield Special School, Mabel Pritchard Special School, The Marlborough School, St Gregory the Great, Chilworth House and the HF Trust, took part in bug hunting, fly tying, fly casting and fly fishing, then learnt all about the reservoir with the Thames Water Education team, finishing up with a cookery demo with fish biology thrown in.

Charles Jardine of Fishing 4 Schools said: "It was inspirational to bring fishing to such a diverse group of people of all abilities and backgrounds who had never even thought of trying fishing before. Everyone took part, including the teachers and carers."

Thames Water's Farmoor is a 400 acre man-made reservoir split into two lakes. The first lake is a catch and release lake and the second is a takeout lake which allows anglers to keep the fish they catch.
As well as providing a haven for anglers the reservoir also stores water for Thames Water customers.

Will Barnard, Thames Water angling development and fisheries manager said: "Farmoor reservoir is nationally recognised as one of the finest fisheries in the UK and it's important that communities and young people have opportunities to experience this for themselves. There is so much more to Thames Water than supplying water and removing waste and our reservoirs being used for angling and other sports is a brilliant example."