Dreamstore Update

August 5, 2010 in All Articles, Community, EAZ, Social Inclusion by editor

Dreamstore’s Education Action Zone, angling’s fun indoor learning experience, has reached Scotland. First Monday of August saw a training day to introduce the first DEAZ to Action for Youth Development (AFYD) at St Ninian’s Parish Hall, in Paisley. A mix of young people, adults, AFYD volunteers and coaches spent an afternoon learning the scope of the activities and the possibilities offered to introducing people to angling.

Paisley’s AFYD leader, Ian Williams said:

“We had looked at the pictures on the Dreamstore website, but the actual experience and the potential for the Action Zone are very, very exciting. We can’t wait to get started. In fact, we will use it next week. It is great fun, and provides instant success. Delighted this has reached Scotland.”

May 19, 2010 in All Articles, Community, Disability, Small Grants, Social Inclusion by editor

Glamorgan Anglers Club has an active community programme, always seeking to broaden the offer at its waters for people of all ages and ability. The Club is very much focused on angling participation for all and has been particularly active finding ways to increase angling access for the disabled angler.  

The Club requested a small grant from Dreamstore, to cover the cost of five very large umbrellas.  The Browning umbrella is 2.5 metres wide when open, which allows a wheelchair user and helper stay dry from the rain or shaded from a hot sun.  Dreamstore is delighted to see that good use is being made of the umbrellas and that this small grant goes a long way to improving the angling experience for the disabiled angler.

April 2, 2010 in All Articles, Community, Small Grants, Social Inclusion by editor

Iain Mackie is the community leader at INTACT (subject of an earlier post), and here along with volunteer Keith Laycock they each outline the benefit of building angling into the programme of community activities around Ignol, Preston.

January 21, 2010 in All Articles, Small Grants by editor

Elsewhere we have provided an update on the progress of Halton Brook Children’s Centre, Runcorn

We recently met with Mo Ball, the Community Development Worker at Halton Brook who explained the value of the early provision of a small grant to get an angling group organised at the Children’s Centre:

“During my work with parents in the community I started to talk about fishing and how enjoyable and relaxing it was. Some of the parents told me their children wanted to go fishing, but had no-one to help or go with them.  I thought this would be a good reason to start the fishing club. Early starter sessions were a huge success.  By bringing along the parents on days out we had a great team of helpers on hand and a great means of bringing families and young people together.”

“Buying the equipment would have been a big challenge as this would have been very expensive and not within our resources, so we are very pleased Dreamstore was so generous.”

January 6, 2010 in All Articles, Small Grants by editor

Dreamstore is pleased to be able to support the PISCES (Promoting Inclusion and Self Confidence through Environmental Sport) project, working with people recovering from mental health difficulties. We provided a small grant of angling equipment, supplied through our partnership with Zebco-Browning.  As it has grown and expanded we are delighted to be able to continue with this support to provide additional equipment to new groups in and around Leeds. 

To PISCES it is not just the fishing itself that is therapeutic, it is everything that goes with it, sitting and relaxing in peaceful surroundings, listening to the birds singing, all which adds to the experience.

September 20, 2009 in All Articles, Small Grants by editor

The picture tells the story of catching a fish for the first time better than any words on a page.

The picture was taken on a day out with INTACT organised through the Ingol & Tanterton Community Trust which Dreamstore supported with a small grant to buy angling equipment from a local tackle shop.  Angling is delivered through INTACT’s youth club, which is community centred.  The Environment Agency has provided some support in respect of fishery development for the group, though they have also successfully negotiated with a local farmer for free use of fishing on his land. 

The Community centre supports an area of general deprivation, and the project engages with kids between 8-16 years old who wouldn’t have much else to do.  The idea of the Club is to encourage the young people to take ownership of their recreation, under supervision.

August 9, 2008 in All Articles, Projects, Small Grants by admin

The Club has held a series of matches over the summer, now possible because of the store of equipment provided by Dreamstore UK.

During one of the matches, 7 year old Ryan Jones landed a 5LB 12oz Bream. Ryan was thrilled with his catch.

Terry Middleton, the Secretary of the Halton Joint Anglers Association who helps with running the club on match days, says this is a wonderful catch for a young boy:

Ryan’s catch represents one of the top three record weights caught by any member of the Halton Joint Angling Club, junior or senior. We are all absolutely delighted for him. He won the monthly ‘Biggest Fish’ and ‘Heaviest Catch’ trophies. Well done Ryan.

April 22, 2008 in All Articles, Projects, Small Grants by admin

Desiree Elliot of Stoke Angling for Everyone thanks Dreamstore for its support in helping bridge a funding gap, allowing the youngest members of SAFE’s Youth Clubs to take part in all the activities.

For a number of years, Stoke Angling for Everyone (SAFE) has organised two Junior Angling Youth Clubs in Stoke on Trent and obtained funding to support the activities of each. The Clubs were originally open to young people in the 13 – 19 age groups. At the same time SAFE’s general activities at local primary schools resulted in over 25 young people aged 9 – 12 yrs attending the clubs. For 2007, this had no additional financial implications for indoor activities, where the room hire is already funded and coaches are voluntary.  Once the young people were taken outdoors, however, there were extra pressures on costs due to the increased numbers needing, for example, transport, entrance fees, and peg fees.

Of course SAFE didn’t want to exclude the younger children from participating fully in all youth club activities, and applied for funding to help to make up the deficit. The difficulty arose in that the extra funding wouldn’t become available until 2008, creating an urgent need for funding to bridge the funding gap and to enable the children and young people to participate in all the planned activities. Dreamstore has been pleased to step into the funding gap.

Dreamstore’s funding enabled all to go fishing at Carneys Pools and Blake Hall fishery, where a number caught their first fish.  Visits included the Blue Planet at Ellesmere Port, where the young people learnt about fish anatomy and fish identification.

And everyone spent a day at Carneys Pools, with owner Carol Carney, learning about fishery management, water quality and habitats. A group also went on a salmon hunt on the River Dove with Environment Agency Technical Officer Mick Buxton.

Thanks Dreamstore.

March 31, 2008 in All Articles, Projects, Small Grants by admin

Ben (right), aged 8 years old, with his dad Andy, who helps the young people whenever he is free to join the Halton Brook Children’s Centre Fishing Club team.

Dreamstore has been delighted to provide Halton Brook Children’s Centre some funding towards the Centre’s Fishing Club and a large range of Browning equipment. The first outing with the new equipment took place at Easter 2008.

The Centre approached Dreamstore to help its recently formed Fishing Club, as early starter sessions had proved hugely popular among young people and parents alike. The Centre hopes to use the Club to generate greater community cohesion in an area of considerable disadvantage.

Mo Ball, a Community Development Worker at Halton Brook started to go fishing about eighteen months ago and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. She says:

During my work with parents in the community I started to talk about fishing and how enjoyable and relaxing it was. Some of the parents told me their children wanted to go fishing, but had no-one to help or go with them.  I thought this would be a good reason to start the fishing club. Early starter sessions were a huge success. By bringing along the parents on days out, once CRB checks had been completed, we had a great team of helpers on hand and a great means of bringing families and young people together.

Along with the parents and helpers, we have some time committed by local anglers from the Warrington Anglers Association, The Liverpool Housing Trust, and other staff at the Halton Brook Centre.  Buying the equipment would have been a big challenge as this would have been very expensive and not within our resources, so we are very pleased Dreamstore was so generous. This will allow many more days out for a wide range of young people and parents, from those just starting to those with a little more experience.

Halton Brook Children’s Centre Fishing Club was short-listed for The Healthy Lives Award for Public Authorities, sponsored by Wirral Primary Care Trust, at the Groundwork Merseyside Environmental Awards 2008 for Communities.

August 12, 2007 in All Articles, Dreamstore Awards by admin

Left to right; Orri Vigfússon (Lifetime Achievement Award), Peter James, South Staffs Angling for All (Group Award), John Clasby, Wessex Water (Business/Agency Award), Emile Tambeth, Fishing4U (Social Inclusion Award).

Orri Vigfússon was presented a Lifetime Achievement Award, (click here for more info), at the 2007 Dreamstore Active Awards, supported by Bank of Scotland Corporate held at Chesford Grange, Warwickshire.  Also presented Awards on the evening were Fishing4U, A Hastings Social Inclusion Award, Wessex Water, Best Business/Agency 2007, and South Staffs Angling For All for its work with disability groups in the region.  Dreamstore Active Awards are unique in the angling world for focusing on the individuals and organisations generating making a difference for others.

David Hoey from Dreamstore Active comments:

“Dreamstore Active created the Awards night to highlight the tremendous work and effort that goes into activity that may otherwise be overlooked or passed by. The underlying message of this year’s Awards is that success if often driven by those dedicated to doing their best, with a vision and passion to achieve. That is summed up to the greatest extent in Orri Vigfússon’s Lifetime work for the North Atlantic Salmon; Orri’s single-minded determination to succeed has done more for the conservation and promotion of the North Atlantic Salmon than any other individual or organization.”

In addition to the Lifetime Achievement Award, the three Awards presented at the black-tie Dreamstore Active Awards Dinner were:

Social Inclusion Award sponsored by Dreamstore UK – Fishing4U

Fishing4U is led by a part-time Community Fishing Development Officer for the Hastings Angling Participation Project which has introduced around 1500 kids to angling in just under two years. The project also aims to introduce young people to local angling clubs and conservation groups and encourage them to become active members of those community groups. Read the full story here.

Best Business/Agency 2007 Award – Wessex Water

While Angling is obviously not the core activity of this business, Wessex Water has listened to advice from within angling to create excellent opportunity for all anglers, including the creation of a positive angling experience for the disabled at its Tucking Mill centre. The Company has successfully provided integrated provision of recreational use of water, opening access for all. Read the full story here.

Group Award – South Staffs Angling for All

This group of enthusiastic volunteers is entirely dedicated to providing a positive angling experience for disability and community groups across the region. South Staffs Angling for All. The 2007 Group Award is richly deserved. Read the full story here.