Mental wellness fishing group lands King’s Award

NHS scheme prescribes angling to help tackle depression

- BY KATE POUNDS

THE fishing group behind the UK’s first NHS scheme to prescribe angling for anxiety and depression has been honoured by King Charles.

Dave Lyons, 41, started Tackling Minds in November 2020 after fishing helped him with his own recovery from over a decade of mental health struggles and alcohol addiction.

He teamed up with the NHS so GPs, nurses and other health care professionals could prescribe angling instead or alongside antidepressants and anxiety medications, in April 2021. The group is supported by Rochdale Council.

Initially working with Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, 2,300 people have been prescribed a stint of fishing across multiple trusts.

And last month Tackling Minds, a community interest company won the King’s Award for Voluntary Service - the business equivalent of an MBE.

Organisers hope it will be rolled out nationwide soon as part of the NHS’ social prescribing initiative.

Dad-of-two Dave from Stockport, said: “I’m just ecstatic!

“| feel very very proud, of the group and all our volunteers.

“Now I'm thinking, ‘what to aim for next?’

“This feels like the highest accolade we could have hoped for.