The Friendly Anglers Fund

THE FRIENDLY ANGLERS FUND – Creating A Lasting Legacy For Angling.

Since the constitution of The Salford Friendly Anglers Society changed in 2009 to enable free membership, our club has grown beyond all expectation. Who would have ever guessed that the simple altruistic concept of “community action to make river improvements and to protect free fishing” would have proved so popular?

We’ve adopted the rivers and lakes that no one else wanted to look after and improved them, in some cases transforming them. We would like to do a lot more of this in the future at many more venues too. We are being asked to look at / take on new venues all the time but sadly don’t have the financial resources to do so.

Our love of fish and fishing – our love of our local rivers and lakes – taking on the forgotten and neglected – and using the existing but previously unrecognised affinity that anglers have towards their local fishing venues has proved to be a smash hit. A club membership of 10 in October 2019 has grown to a membership of nearly 5,000 in the last 10 years. Whilst a large part of this can be attributed to our free membership offering – it can also be attributed to a recognition of the work we do, and a desire to be part of it. Our members value the improvements we make to their local fishing venues, and value our communications network with the Environment Agency, Local Authorities and other organisations who have been traditionally been “hard to approach” such as Peel Holdings and United Utilities.

We are as much a social group as a fishing/habitat restoration group – The Society prides itself on the friendships and networks that have been created as much as it does on the rivers and lakes that it has worked to restore.

However – The Society needs to re-evaluate its offering to ensure its continued success.

Our commitment to providing FREE FISHING is a cornerstone of our club – and WILL NOT CHANGE – we will ensure that ALL our venues remain on a free membership, free fishing basis.

During the past 10 years, the venues we manage have been restocked, pegs built, weeds and lilies planted and we have generally improved the ecology and fishing at every venue that we’ve taken on.

All of this has been achieved by people giving their time and energy and financed by generous members donations (be that cash, auctions or by taking part in fishing matches) and grants.

We have spent large amount of money restocking The Old River in Irlam, Salford Quays, Drinkwater Park in Prestwich, and Broughton Park Lake and Agecroft Pond in Salford…. The Irwell is regularly stocked by the EA … so the club now has some great venues that are fishing well.

So… What’s The Big Deal? What’s Changing?

Not much really – fish and fishing are in our DNA – we go fishing, sleep fishing, dream about fishing, and work to improve fishing – this will never change. Neither will our attitude towards free fishing, encouraging people take up the best past time ever, or our demands for improved water quality in our rivers.

Last winter we held a funding drive to help us restock Drinkwater Park Lake, Agecroft Pond and Broughton Park lake…. It was a tremendous success – we raised £3,000 in 3 months.

However, you might have noticed that The Society spends every penny that comes through the door (apart from an emergency fund of a couple of hundred pounds) and this is what we want to change.

After spending the last 10 years restoring our portfolio of local waters…. We now want to look forwards to the future …

As grant funding dries up, the club needs to future proof itself financially. In order to take on more waters, and restock more fish, and to continue to provide free fishing we need a steady sustainable source of income.

We intend to do this by creating “The Friendly Anglers Fund”

The Friendly Anglers Fund – is simply an extended version of our existing restocking fund – but with a difference. Our restocking fund used to spend every penny it took in as our waters needed immediate improvement/investment. The Friendly Anglers Fund will instead NEVER SPEND ANY MONEY DONATED…. But will spend 50% of the income the fund generates each year on free fishing venues and projects to improve fishing in our rivers. Over time – by not spending its original donations – and retaining 50% of its income – The Friendly Anglers Fund will grow into a substantial force for good in the development of angling in our area. Over time, as the fund grows and the amount of interest it generates increases The Society intend to use the income from the fund to assist other angling clubs, The Rivers Trust, The Wild Trout Trust and the Angling Trust projects in our area to help improve fisheries and fishing.

So simply every penny that’s donated to the fund will be preserved in perpetuity to improve fishing and fishing venues.

To kick start the fund – we are contacting all members, asking them to donate to the fund.

This can be done in several ways

Via donation to the club committee at a club meeting

Via Standing Order on a monthly basis to the club account (suggested monthly amounts are £5, £10, £20 – or whatever you kindly decide that you can afford)

Via taking part in a club fishing match (50% of all match fees will be directed into The Friendly Anglers Fund)

Via booking the Old River in Irlam as a match venue (£100 match booking fee for 2019/20)

Via getting sponsored to take part in a running event or bike ride e.g. Manchester Marathon 2020 or Manchester To Blackpool bike ride.

Via taking part in the regular online auctions of goods and services on the Salford Friendly Facebook Page

Via setting up your own fundraising event or selling some unwanted tackle on Ebay and donating the proceeds to the Friendly Anglers Fund.

Our immediate financial goal is to raise £5,000 …. Please give generously – our fish need you!

Donations accepted:

Via Paypal to admin@salfordfriendyanglers.co.uk

Via monthly standing order to:

Salford Friendly Anglers Soc

01-07-20

49121413

By supporting The Friendly Anglers Fund – you will be supporting fish, fishing and fisheries long into the future – improving the lives of your children, grandchildren and generations to come.

Constitution of The Friendly Anglers Fund

The objective of the Friendly Anglers Fund is to benefit fish, fishing and fisheries habitat in the UK
The fund shall acquire Charitable Trust status with the Charity Commission as soon possible after accumulating the required capital/donations to do so.
The Friendly Anglers Fund shall adhere to the auditing and accounting requirements of the Charities Commission.
The fund shall not spend/distribute any donation received other than under rule 5 below.
The fund shall distribute a maximum of 50% of the investment growth and dividend income it receives from its investment of donations each year
The fund shall distribute this income locally through the Salford Friendly Anglers Society, and more widely through the Wild Trout Trust, the Angling Trust and local members of the Rivers Trust movement. The geographic proportions of these distributions being determined by the board of Trustees.
There shall be a minimum number of 3 Trustees of the Trust and a maximum number of 7 Trustees.
The Trustees will meet a minimum of twice a year – to discuss the raising of capital for the fund, and the expenditure of 50% of The Funds investment growth/ income.
The capital value of the fund, its investment growth and dividends accumulated shall be determined using the financial year basis of 1^st January to 31^st December,
An annual financial report shall prepared by the end of January immediately following financial year end – detailing the amount of donations received in the previous 12 months, the capital growth of the fund during the preceding 12 months, the dividends received, how much of the dividend/investment return (maximum 50%) is distributed towards angling causes, the names of recipient clubs and organisations, how much each has received, and how that money has been spent furthering the causes of the Friendly Anglers Fund.
If the Trustees of The Friendly Anglers Fund decide that the fund needs to close, then all investments will be realised and the monies raised be given to other angling and habitat related charities in the UK.