Richmond and District Angling Society has been honoured with a national award while continuing its hands-on efforts to protect and improve the River Swale.
At a landmark meeting involving police, the Angling Trust and local voluntary bailiffs, the club was presented with a Certificate of Excellence by the Angling Trust.
The award recognises the society’s achievement in training 14 members as Voluntary Bailiffs through the national FishNET programme in just one year — believed to be more than any other single angling club in England.
The newly trained volunteers now patrol stretches of the River Swale between Marske and Great Langton, and occasionally further afield.
Working alongside local police and the Environment Agency, they monitor the river for illegal fishing, pollution and fly-tipping.
Their work plays a key role in safeguarding the environment and maintaining the Swale as a popular destination for anglers and other river users.
Alongside enforcement efforts, the society is also actively involved in keeping the riverbanks clean.
Members recently took part in a litter pick along the river, covering the stretch from Round Howe to Easby Abbey.
Volunteers, wearing high-visibility jackets bearing the slogan “Anglers against litter”, collected rubbish from the banks and surrounding areas. Their efforts were well received by members of the public, many of whom stopped to show their appreciation.
The club regularly organises such clean-up events, reinforcing its commitment not only to angling but also to protecting and enhancing the natural environment.
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Fish are also part of the natural environment and would benefit by not being hauled out of the water in the name of ‘sport’.