This month the Angling Trust begins an ambitious four year programme of work to get more people fishing and need the support of fisheries, clubs, coaches and volunteers to help make this a success.

From the Angling Trust, how you can get involved.

By getting involved you will have opportunity to help support your club or fishery by driving up membership and teaching existing anglers new skills. This work will also recognise and reward regular angling participation, improve ticket sales at fisheries and provide volunteers with a fantastic way to put something back into angling. Sport England, the government agency setup to help people and communities across the country create a sporting habit for life, has set the Angling Trust the target of increasing weekly participation amongst existing anglers aged 26 years and above and anglers with disabilities.

This will be measured by the results of their "Active People Survey" which measures weekly levels of sport participation. Using data from our National Angling Survey, we have designed a number of exciting national programmes, each structured to overcome the recognised barriers that stop people going fishing more often. The first two of the programmes, Club Fish and Lets Fish will be rolled out from the end of April and we are asking you to help make them a success.

Here's how:

CLUB FISH is a club and fishery development programme that will benefit Angling Trust member clubs and fisheries by helping to increase and retain their membership and customers.

LET'S FISH is about group participation at Angling Trust member fisheries. It is designed to improve ticket sales and increase regular participation from existing anglers aged over 50 or those anglers with disabilities. Our aim is to build on the massive success of the volunteer "Sports Makers" from last year's Olympics and we are looking for proficient anglers to train as Volunteer Champions.

These Champions will help our Regional Officers set up group fishing sessions. They will not be coached angling sessions but may involve coaches who are already trained as Volunteer Champions.

The Angling Trust is committed to getting more anglers fishing more regularly and wants to support volunteers to achieve this goal. This can be done in many different imaginative and exciting ways, for example by creating fun specimen fish challenges, friendly competitions or even social fishing sessions on a once a week basis over a period of a month. Potential Volunteer Champions may already be qualified coaches, regular club anglers or simply a competent angler looking to put something back into their sport on a volunteer basis. Applicants need to be over 18 years of age, willing to be criminal record checked and will attend a free one day training course.

Each volunteer will be required to commit to a minimum of 36 hrs over a twelve month period. As well as the free training we'll help out by supplying free Angling Trust individual membership and Volunteer Champion branded clothing. Angling Trust Regional Officers will help Champions to set up events to get more anglers enjoying their fishing more often.

To learn more about this exciting opportunity to be trained as an Angling Trust Volunteer Champion or find out where the Club Fish and Lets Fish programmes are in your area please contact Clive Copeland Angling Trust Head of Participation at clive.copeland@anglingtrust.net