South Cerney National Angling Festival

Sunday July 5th 2009 sees the 29th South Cerney National Angling Festival for Anglers with Disabilities. This unique annual event is once again being held at South Cerney Angling Club, situated five miles south of the historic town of Cirencester, in the heart of the Cotswold Waterpark. This event is exclusively for persons with disabilities, and attracts participants with wide-ranging disabilities, from all parts of the country

The festival fills a need for many disabled persons, and shows how much fun and accessible angling can be, regardless of age, gender, or disability. The ethos of the festival has always been about having a good time, which is evident on the faces of all those that take part. Again to join in with this years Festival, we have invited a group of disabled children to try their hand at angling. They will be guided through the day by Licensed Angling Coaches, who are donating there time to come along and help.

The one hundred and twenty places on offer are quickly being filled, so get your applications in quickly. Entry is by bookings only and will be on a first come first served basis. Participants are able to bring along a helper but if one isn’t available we have a large army of stewards willing to lend a hand. We are keen to welcome juniors with disabilities to come along and join in the fun. The fishing is to be held on our three well-stocked lakes which offer some excellent fishing and have good vehicle and wheel chair access.

Participants will be supplied with refreshments throughout the event, including a meal from a Hog Roast to conclude the day. There are trophies and prizes to be won for such categories as Top Wheel-Chair Angler, Top Junior, Top Lady and many more. A draw for swims will take place at 8am, and fishing will commence from 10am until 3pm. To round off the day there will be a Grand Raffle with many, many great prizes donated to us by our kind supporters.

The Fisherman’s Rest’, SCAC’s licensed clubhouse and bar overlooking Ham Pool, is the perfect setting for all to meet up with old friends and make some new ones too, and of course reminisce about the one that got away!

Despite the very poor weather conditions, one hundred anglers still attended the 2008 Festival, and most were rewarded by catching some excellent nets of fish. Glen Hayes caught the biggest bag of fish, weighing in with a massive 81Ib 2oz. Glen also took home the 'Top Wheel Chair Trophy'. The 'Specimen Fish Trophy' for best fish of the day was won by Albert Warner, for the capture of a 2Ib 8oz Crucian Carp that he landed from Ham Pool. Theresa Brooker weighed in with 10Ib 7oz, to land the 'Top Lady Trophy', and young Sam Hook on his first day out fishing bagged the 'Top Junior Trophy', weighing in with 10Ib 5oz.