An angling club that began in Salford and now spans the North West of England is celebrating a milestone after introducing 1,000 children to the sport.
Top Cast Angling has reached its long-time goal of getting 1,000 children into angling, a form of fishing that uses a hook, line and rod to catch fish.
The Community Interest Company, created in 2025 by Neil Thomas, has reeled in budding anglers from across the region, helping them to learn new skills, socialise and have fun undertaking a new hobby.
Neil explained he started at Alderbrook Primary School in Salford before casting his net wide across the city in an effort to attract new members.
“I didn’t know how to start so I would hand out leaflets to local schools,” he explained, clarifying the courses he offers to beginners in schools: “The courses that I do in schools are 6 weeks long, and there is quite a variety of things for the kids to learn.”
The charity runs off “tackle” donations from the public, which is equipment used by anglers to catch fish including rods, hooks and bait.
Neil shared that: “I personally drive around to these people’s houses and pick up the donated fishing tackle.
“Anyone who has been fishing for a few years has old fishing rods that they don’t use but are too good to throw away.
“It helps with recycling as old tackle goes straight to landfills.”
The most in demand equipment for the charity is basic fishing rods and whips which help catch small fish.
The growth in the tackle donation scheme reached 1014 kids which surpassed the initial goal of 100.
Neil said: “To celebrate we had balloons, and the child who was number 1000 received some special equipment that we had put aside.”
This charity allows children to learn new life skills, whilst socializing and integrating into the community.
He added: really helps with their mental health and steers them away from the wrong path.
The charity aims to reach 10,000 kids in the next 10 years and continue its work supporting communities across Salford and the wider region.
