SOME of the region’s major fishing clubs joined forces to raise more than £7,000 for a Basingstoke hospice.

Members of Camrose Angling Club, Adventure Angling Club, Stacey’s Match Group, South Reading Fishing Club and Basingstoke Railway Piscatorials all helped reel in thousands of pounds for St Michael’s Hospice

Sixty-two fishing enthusiasts descended upon Stacey’s Fishing Club, in Tadley to take part in a Sunday session of angling, before enjoying a barbecue and raffle. 

The clubs each took to one of the Tadley club’s five lakes.
Keith Brown, company secretary of Stacey’s Fishing Club and the event organiser, was pleased with the efforts of those who got involved. 

“The fishing community has always been into fundraising for charity,” Keith said.

“It all started 15 years ago when members from the Basingstoke Railway Piscatorials club, Mitch, Dave Edwards and Alan Hobbs, decided to start a 24-hour fishathon and once John Stacey’s heard about it we combined it and it’s really snowballed from there.

“It was great to invite five major clubs from the area to fish in the five lakes and it was a real fun, social event.”

The money raised will help St Michael’s Hospice, in Aldermaston Road, which cares for people from North Hampshire with life-limiting illnesses. 

The day’s raffle alone raised more than £600, with prizes donated by Anglers and Tadley Angling Centre and Bato-Baits of Basingstoke. 

Many of the anglers who attended the event did so because they had loved ones who spent their last days at St Michael’s Hospice and next year the clubs hope to team up again for a bigger fishing showcase. 

“The angling fraternity never object to putting their hand in their pockets,” Keith added.

“We’re a community of fundraisers and to raise this money for such an important cause as St Michael’s Hospice was great. They really came together to support it.”

“This is what we do and seeing the donations rack up is good.”