With knife crime being a very challenging issue facing young people in the UK, the Reel Rod Squad has taken it upon themselves to raise awareness around the subject and introduce young people to fishing to help keep them out of trouble.
Spearheaded by Joanne and Lee Stroud, Emily Whitmore and Matthew Whitmore, the charity has already seen great success. Their latest campaign featured 10 junior anglers facing off against 10 Warwickshire police officers to determine who the better anglers were, while also providing information about the dangers of knives.
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"We are always looking for ways to encourage more young people to get on the bank and go fishing, helping them find a better path," Jo explained.
"Earlier this year, we held a match between the police and some of our young anglers to promote our message of 'pick up a rod, not a knife,' while also improving relations between the two parties."
"It was a five-hour match. The kids weighed in at 75lb 6oz, while the police weighed in at 34lb 5oz, making the kids the winners. We will hold this match annually, so we look forward to seeing who the winners of 2025 will be," she said.
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"The match took place at Copston Fields Fishery, and the owners, Alison and Daz, are very supportive of the kids fishing."
"A big thank you to Marc Lovegrove, who helped us arrange this event and get his police team ready. The kids wore their black Reel Rod Squad T-shirts, and the police wore the navy version."
"The Angling Trust also helped on the day, with Dave Evans and Steve Lile helping throughout the match to ensure it ran smoothly."
"We are up for a challenge! If there are any other professions out there that would like to take on the Reel Rod Squad," Jo concluded.
If you want anymore information please get in touch at: www.reelrodsquad.co.uk
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