Casting for Recovery UK & Ireland, the medical fly fishing programme for ladies who have, or have had breast cancer, held its 46th retreat and its 10th held at Kimbridge on the Test last weekend (20th-22nd July). Our patron, Clay Brendish toasted this milestone with a glass of fizz at the graduation on Sunday.
Eleven ladies travelled from across the country to attended the retreat, all arriving as strangers but leaving as friends. The weather was glorious and a little too hot at times but it didn’t stop the ladies from all managing to hook a trout which is a fantastic achievement considering some of the ladies had never been fly-fishing before.
Casting for Recovery UK & Ireland is run by The Countryside Alliance Foundation (TCAF), the charity set up to increase access to the countryside and to use it for education, fun and healing. It works on the simple truth that fly fishing is wonderful therapy for those recovering from breast cancer.
The programme takes ladies on a two day residential retreat where fly fishing tuition is part of a packed itinerary that also includes counselling, relaxation and medical advice. The residential retreat aims to help both body and mind with the medical and counselling aspects complimenting the gentle physical therapy of the fly casting motion.
We are extremely grateful to the fly fishing and medical volunteers who take time to ensure that the ladies all enjoy their weekend. A special thanks also goes to Orvis who supported the event with a donation of £2,000 towards the catering costs for the weekend. But most of all we are grateful to the ladies for choosing to take the chance and apply for the programme. We hope they all enjoyed it!
Casting for Recovery’s Sue Shaw commented: “All the ladies had a fantastic weekend and it was great to see all the ladies catch a fish. It is always very humbling to see what the magic of Casting for Recovery can do to the ladies who put their trust in us. Huge thanks goes to the generosity of the Estate for allowing us to host the event there. We are happy to say that we will back at Kimbridge in 2019.”
More Information
- To view Casting for Recovery’s fly fishing therapy schedule for 2018 click here. NB retreat places are allocated by ballot.
- Retreats are provided free of charge. All participants need to do is get to the retreat and we will take care of all food, accommodation, counselling, medical advice, fly fishing instruction and fishing kit.
- Ladies should be three months clear of surgery. Attendance on retreat is subject to medical clearance.
