Angling these days is not just about catching fish, it’s also about caring for the environment in which fishermen enjoy their sport.

The club has been spreading the word and encouraging novices at five free teaching afternoons on a pond at Brookwood and the lake.

“It was a fantastic success, with over 40 people trying their hand,” said club secretary and fishing bailiff Roger Westcott. “The two most promising young anglers, 12-year-old Grace and seven-year-old James were presented with a trophy and angling accessories.

“The club was founded in April 2015 and aims to promote the sport and art of angling positively to as wide an audience as possible, particularly with beginners of all ages over seven years.”

Professional coaches Richard Charlton and Simon Windsor, registered with the Angling Trust, were hired by the club to deliver one -to-one tuition.

The novices were each given a goody bag containing a fishing pole, floats and line kit, a plummet, disgorger, beginner’s booklet and a certificate of participation. Most of these were donated by Thames Water and the Environment Agency.

“We would like to give special thanks to Richard Charlton’s wife, Angela, for designing and producing the wonderful participation certificates.

“It’s important that we seasoned anglers share our knowledge and experiences with future generations,” said Roger, who is happy to tell newcomers more about angling, the club and its activities.

For information on Goldsworth Park Angling Club on the web visit http://bit.ly/2erYRSa. To contact Roger, call 07779 896393 or email [email protected].