National Fishing Week 2007 is ‘On the Move!’
The Angling Trades Association (ATA), with
the financial assistance & support of The Environment Agency (EA),
are delighted to announce that National Fishing Week 2007 (NFW) will
take place from the 21st-29th July this year.
The new date is a month earlier than previous
NFW’s, however the belief is by bringing the event forward to
the beginning of the school holidays it will allow the keen first timers,
many more opportunities to perfect their new found skills, during the
summer vacation.
The ATA & EA believe that by this move
of dates, will give the Angling Industry a much-needed boost in sales
of day tickets, licences & tackle. Sean O’Driscoll the newly
appointed chairman of the ATA had this comment to make on the announcement,
‘National Fishing Week (NFW), is clearly recognised as the single
most important recruiting event for new anglers in the industry calendar.
Great strides have been made over the last 3 years to provide quality
tuition, venues and information to thousands of ‘new-comers’.
It continues to be the aim of the ATA to convert as many of these first-timers
as possible into the anglers of the future’.
The ATA are also quick to recognise the
tremendous support and financial assistance of the EA in this campaign.
Richard Wightman from the EA, had this comment to make, ‘the EA
has seen the great value delivered by NFW over the past 3 years. Not
only has there been an increase in the sales of rod licences, suggesting
that more anglers are participating in the sport, but we have also been
encouraged by the positive media coverage that angling has received
during the event. Bringing the event forward to the beginning of the
holidays has been a bold move; however one we believe will reap rewards
for all and ensure that angling becomes a major part of recreation for
many during the summer holidays.’
National Fishing Week will be announcing
over the next few weeks a few additional components to the event. Neil
Sellers, who has project managed NFW for the last few years, has once
again been retained by the ATA and he had this to say, ‘NFW has
become a brand in its own right in the Angling Industry and represents
all that is good and positive within Britain’s favourite outdoor
sporting pastime. It is the intention to introduce some new dynamics
to NFW this year that will result in an even bigger boost to the industry
than ever before. The ATA & EA are currently working very hard behind
the scenes in putting these dynamics together and will be going to press
shortly’.
So it appears we need to ‘watch this
space for the next instalment’, but in the meantime get those
initial dates in your diary and get planning your event.
Anyone requiring further information on
how to get involved with NFW can contact Neil on 07778049398
or by email at info@nationalfishingweek.co.uk
The Angling Trades Association set to launch
‘The National Fishing Festival’
for the entire Summer Holiday’s!!!
The ATA have just announced their plans
to stage ‘A National Fishing Festival’ from 21st July –
31st August. ‘Such a move will only prove to be a tremendous boost
to all sectors of the industry’ according to Sean O’Driscoll,
the new Chairman of the ATA, ‘the ATA have never been short of
ideas and initiatives, relating to angling participation, and the plan
to stage a 6 weeklong festival of fishing, this summer, is our most
ambitious ever’.
The ATA only recently announced their intention to move the dates of
National Fishing Week from the end of August to the last week in July,
quoting the need for first time anglers to be allowed the whole of the
summer to finely tune their new found skills. We asked Sean what would
be the impact on Fishing Week, with the introduction of Fishing Festival?
‘None’ was his swift reply, he then went on to elaborate,
‘National Fishing Festival will commence with National Fishing
Week, and for nine days at the beginning of the school holidays, people
will benefit from free taster sessions the length and breadth of the
country delivered by licensed coaches. At the same time the new dynamic
of ‘Take a Friend Fishing’ will be launched and this will
continue to run throughout the school holidays until the 31st August’.
The Environment Agency are both financial and grass root supporters
of the National Fishing Festival 2007 and their spokesman Richard Wightman
had this to say about the announcement, ‘we have worked on many
successful participation projects with the ATA and believe that this
can be the best ever. The addition of the ‘Take a friend fishing’
campaign will allow all sectors of the industry to get involved, without
the restraints that are necessary with National Fishing Week and this
will have a dramatic impact on the numbers who can take part’.
The ATA intend to market National Fishing Week, using their conventional
methods such as local posters & flyers as well as the Non Angling
TV, Radio, Press and their revamped website www.nationalfishingweek.co.uk.
Which has always reaped rewards and allowed the Non-Anglers of the country
to be encouraged to ‘give angling a go’.
The ‘Take a friend fishing’ Campaign will be marketed far
more at the Angling Industry. It will take the form of many different
dynamics that are currently being kept from us for later release.
Sean O’Driscoll had this final comment to make, ‘we expect
to enlist the help of Sea Anglers, Game Fishermen, Specialist Coarse
Anglers, Clubs, Societies, Associations, and Federations to make this
first National Fishing Festival a huge success. We have some great promotional
ideas along the way, and will share them with you when the time is right.
For now it is all about rallying the troops, working with our friends
from the different disciplines to bring the Festival to fruition’.
Neil Sellers who has previously managed National Fishing Week and is
now responsible for delivering the project let slip that they are expecting
over a quarter of a million people to take part over the 6 weeks. He
then discussed the retention levels and projected cautiously that with
a 25% success rate the industry could benefit from a further 62,500
Anglers. Now that would be something to shout about!!
So readers what are you waiting for, you can find out more information
by contacting Neil on info@nationalfishingweek.co.uk
CHECK OUT THE WEBSITES!
The Angling Trades Association, ATA, are delighted to announce that visitors
are now being welcomed on to their new websites.
WWW.NATIONALFISHINGWEEK.CO.UK
WWW.TAKEAFRIENDFISHING.CO.UK
These two sites form the ambitious ‘festival of fishing’ that
is taking place this summer, and what’s more, you are all invited
to take part!!
Sean O’Driscoll, the chairman of the ATA, had this remark to make,
’our aim is to take fishing to the people, the whole summer long.
We wish to engage help from all the sectors of the angling community,
the length and breadth of the country, in bringing more people into the
sport. Everyone can help. Just visit the websites published above and
all will become clear’.
Neil Sellers, the project manager of the National Fishing Festival went
onto explain, ‘the past 3 years, with the help of funding from the
Environment Agency, we have managed to build National Fishing Week into
the biggest event in the UK for outright beginners. Thousands of more
people fish today as a result of this campaign.
We now wish to attract even greater numbers of ‘beginners’,
from all corners of the country and in all disciplines, i.e. Sea, Coarse,
and Game. To do this effectively, we must enlist the help of existing
Anglers who want to put something back into their sport. Everyone knows
someone who may wish to go fishing, but has never had the chance. Well
now is your chance to change that. Knock on your neighbours’ door,
take one of your children who you have been promising to take for ages,
raise the idea down the pub with one of your non-angling mates, or approach
a colleague at work.
If every angler in the UK took someone they knew, then the affect would
be dramatic.
Don’t forget those less fortunate than us, in this campaign. Disabled,
Disadvantaged, Lonely people, many sectors of society can benefit from
a little thought and help. Who knows, I bet they would enjoy it and return
for more’.
What’s the cost?
A little time, a little bait, and a day ticket license.
So what are you waiting for!
Register your event on the NFW Website, or Take your friend fishing,
and tell us all about it.
This years website will give you the opportunity to send details of
your event or day out with a friend, and publish it on the website,
providing it meets the criteria set by the managing committee.
This could be one of your moment of Angling Fame!!!