Project Aim
Construction of Northern Ireland's first fully inclusive Fishery with 27 Disabled accessible and child safe fishing platforms.
About the Project
Due to lack of safe and good quality fishing facilities in the Greater Belfast, North Down and Ards area that are suitable to meet with the objectives of our Charity as a fully inclusive Angling Club we have been unable to operate at our full potential.
We recently decided to lease an old private fishery (10 year lease) that has been disused for 20 years (Beechhill). The fishery requires radical capital development to allow us to carry out our charity business in a more effective and efficient manor while offering safe and enjoyable angling for up to 27 people at any one time.
To date we have carried extensive development work with a capital cash spend of over £10000 with an additional in kind value spend of approximately £40,000. We now require additional funding for the completion of the pathway, carpark works, drainage and final 10 fishing platform. The road, pathway and carpark are required to give full inclusive access to wheelchair users at lakeside and also to meet health and safety requirements and provide a safe and secure environment for all other users of the site. The fishery has been designed to be fully inclusive.
By carrying out this project we will be able to develop the club and offer a variety of projects to a wider range of participants and target specific groups as highlighted in the recently Public Review of Angling. External groups and stakeholders will also have access to the site for projects and outreach programmes.
As well as the above, the finished project will be Northern Irelands first and only fully inclusive accessible site. The road will give lakeside car parking while the pathways will enable wheelchair access to every stand. All stands will be built to British Disability guidelines. The stands construction have also been planned to take into consideration the safety of children while allowing match anglers to also get maximum use. Planning permission has already been granted from NI Planning department.
Through this project we will convert the site into a high quality community fishing resource which will be used for a variety of angling strategy projects including, Community Building, Peace & Reconciliation, Educational & Environmental Workshops, Disability Therapy, Youth Outreach, Ethnic and Cultural awareness as well as volunteer development. Benefits from this project will include, increased participation from under 18’s, women, over 65’s, people with behavioural disorders, learning difficulties, physical disabilities and mental health issues.
Communities benefits will be reduction in Anti-Social behaviour, increased Social Cohesion, Social Integration with BME’s, contribute to the development of self-esteem and self-confidence in areas of social deprivation. Sports facilities can make an important contribution to the physical infrastructure of communities, providing a social focus for a community and affecting people's perception of their neighbourhood. The development of under used recreational and sporting sites has a significant role to play in the development of the quality of life in communities.
The finished Beechhill Fishery Project will become the first All Ireland Angling Academy.
About the Us
We are the only Fishing Club in All Ireland with Charitable Status. Charity No's NIC100706 & XT38711
N.I.C.C.A has been established to support the preservation of fish life, the encouragement of angling as a sport through a series of programmes, activities and events and to bring people together in a positive environment through which they can form lasting relationships and gain experience which can improve other aspects of thier lives such as mental health and well being, social well being and education.
To offer coaching and competitive opportunities in Angling
To promote the club within all local communities and Angling
To promote the social development of children through Angling
To promote the development of people with disabilities through Angling
To promote peace and reconciliation through Angling
To promote health and wellbeing through Angling
To manage Northern Ireland Cross Community Angling
To ensure a duty of care to all members of the club.
To provide all its services in a way that is equitable to everyone
To ensure that all present and future members receive fair and equal treatment
What we have done so far
Over the last few years we have ran numerous projects and programmes with local youth. These projects have covered subjects such as Anti-Social Behaviour, Hate Crime, Social Cohesion and Social Integration. These have been run in partnership with Local Community Groups including Polish and Muslim, PCSP, Department of Justice, the Probation Service of Northern Ireland.
We also hold the rights to the Cross Border Peace Cup and League. Due to its popularity this has now become an annual event. This consists of various teams from cross community backgrounds including Catholic, Protestants and Polish fishing in mixed teams against each other for fun.
We also work closely with the PSNI and PIPS in delivering workshops which cover subjects such as bullying, hate crime, citizenship, suicide awareness and self-harm.
Our very own designed SAM Course (SAVE a MATE) has proved very popular. This course has been designed to give children 10 and offer a basic understanding of First Aid.
All participants on our projects are also given the opportunity to go through our Angling Proficiency Scheme. We are the only organisation in All Ireland who offer this.
As well as our own projects, we also assist FASA, Men in Sheds and the Simon Communities, to deliver their own projects.