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Accommodation suitable for disabled anglers

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Disabled Anglers Fishing Platforms - River Waveney

Disabled Anglers Fishing Platforms - Constructed under the Organisation of the
Waveney Regeneration Project Angling Section

The 5-year effort has produced these capacities:

Scole is free fishing. Day Tickets or Club Membership with Disabled concessions available for others.

Dave Gladwell, an NFA Qualified Coach, Waveney Regeneration Project Angling Co-ordinator, and Bungay Cherry Tree AC Life Vice-President, pulled all this together and personally endorses the quality and suitability of the facilities.

Warner's Gunton Hall Holiday Village do two Angling Break weeks and have Disabled facilities, their 30-peg lake has sound level grassy banks to fish from.

The Fishery at Barford is one of the most popular commercial waters in the county and can cater for disabled visitors providing you ring first and speak to Sarah: There are now two lakes of particular interest though at their Thuxton venue: Railway Lake and Willow Lake. In the Summer of 2004 the Barford team put 100% effort into creating a disabled facility at every swim on both lakes with hardcore ramps and good platforms. This site is a match only venue and quite remarkable.  It boasts a sensitively constructive facility unrivalled anywhere else in the Country on a Commercial Fishery. The fishing is superb with a tackle and bait shop on site, and a visit to their web site www.barfordlakes.com will give details of all their lakes including maps and pictures. E-mail: sarah@barfordlakes.com.

The Grants and interest of the NFA is a fine demonstration that the umbrella Organisation for the Sport is not just a Match orientated machine but can carry out aspects of it's Leadership with dedication, compassion and understanding for anglers from all walks of Life. Former NFA Eastern Regional Disablement Officer Robert Bunting approved all of the swims endorsing the Project with his enthusiasm and support since it's inception. The new fully qualified 2004 NFA Regional Disablement Officer is Dave Nelson contactable on (01473) 411686.

The NFA was in with volatile support at the start of the River Regeneration campaign speaking strongly from the floor at Public Meetings. Past President Ken Ball never lost touch with the plight and recovery of the Waveney. Elected in 2004 new President Terry Fell will continue with the full support of the NFA to the affiliated Waveney Clubs and their Projects

Harleston Wortwell and District platforms in their gravel pits at their excellently stocked pits at Weybread	Bungay Cherry Tree AC platforms with runways at their Ditchingham Lake

A brief history follows the Platform table, of the compilation to arrive at the holiday accommodation lists and how the facilities have been financed.

A successful European 5B application for funding was made by South Norfolk DC, Mid-Suffolk DC, Waveney DC, and Anglers of the former River Waveney Regeneration Project (RWRP) representing Fishing Clubs in the area. The £236,000 it achieved, helped reintroduce streamy riffles and off-river havens restoring the ecological balance to the River. Fish even thrive now in a once zero oxygen, dead, part of the river at Billingford.

Built into the 5B Grant was a "Disabled Leisure Facility" for anglers. The target was to provide Fishing positions in suitable number and form, in order to produce Disabled Anglers with a holiday package. This ideal conformed to the required elements of "Tourism" and "Economic" as well as "Social Benefits" within the Grant criteria. The then South Norfolk MP, the Rt. Hon. John McGregor, gave considerable support to launching the Scheme tackling several procedural difficulties.

In the event Norfolk failed to be included in the 5B geographical criteria, classed as being "too rich". This left the Voluntary Angling Co-ordinator of the RWRP, to find alternative ways of supplementing the two 5B funded wooden platforms (photo left) at Scole on the Waveney, and meet the number of Platforms. The Angling Co-ordinator steered applications for a tier of grant monies to build platforms to the Environment Agency Health & Safety recommended standards.

All these platforms are made of a plastic formed from recycled dustbin bags and beer can content. Placed on galvanised frames the high quality attractive stands are extremely durable and have disabled snap lock ring chair fittings and a long life. Angling Clubs raised £2500 for fish stocking which was doubled in the 5B European Grant to £5000 and masses of roach with this money have been introduced to the River. In all some £28,000 has been raised, and we are indebted as is laid out to the listed funding bodies.

An Awards for All grant for Diss & District Angling first produced fine two stations at Syleham (photo right) on the Waveney and supplemented the Club's own efforts on the Diss Mere Mouth, producing a triple platform. Bungay Cherry Tree AC applied and received a Lottery Awards for All grant too, and this yielded three platforms. In conjunction with the local GPMU Print Union Branch the National Federation of Anglers (NFA) and the RWRP itself, funded another one on their picturesque 3-acre Ditchingham lake.

The Foundation for Sports and the Arts were approached, in conjunction with Waveney MP Bob Blizzard, and for the first time ever in it's history, money from Litttewoods football pools, came to angling. This valuable move funded another superb set of seven platforms in two of Harleston, Wortwell & District ac's Weybread Pits. The Anglia Co-operative Society at Diss, and fifteen angling Clubs contributed another £1000 to the RWRP which has funded a further triple platform at Diss Mere.

This ensures a good communication outlet to run on from the RWRP as it closes down having finished off its work in March 2003 with this publication. Our sincere thanks to Waveney Labour MP Bob Blizzard who willingly ploughed in again to organise and formulate the following addresses in East Anglia that have facilities for Disabled Anglers to stay and enjoy a fishing holiday on the platforms.

In addition there is a platform suitable for disabled anglers on the Waveney at the Staithe, Bungay (photo right) which is part of the Broads Authority Development. This also is free fishing and paths leading to it ensure easy access for wheelchairs or those of limited mobility.

Should you require any further information regarding these excellent facilities please contact Dave Gladwell

www.bungay-suffolk.co.uk