A Bournville fishing club is scaling up its efforts to improve a local lake and the surrounding environment after it netted a £5,000 grant.
Bournville Community Angling Club, which lease the lake at Rowheath Pavilion from Bournville Village Trust, secured the grant from the Environment Agency in July.
Since then, it’s been using the funding to make a number of improvements, including creating 24 new eco-friendly floating islands and adding new hydroponic planting.
It’s hoped the work will not only improve the overall health of the lake by removing nitrates but also boost biodiversity and the look of the area, which attracts scores of visitors all year round.
Steve Jackson, Chair of the Bournville Community Angling Club, said: “We are very grateful to the Environment Agency for this grant, which will help to protect the long-term future of Rowheath lake. We are also grateful to our member Adam who hasn’t just led on securing the grant but has also worked tirelessly to source and arrange all the materials needed to create the new islands as well as help to build them.
“The lake isn’t just popular with club members, it’s well-used by the wider community and we also work with a local school for children with additional needs so they can fish for free. Fishing has so many benefits; it’s good for your mental health and there’s a great sense of community spirit and camaraderie from those who fish with us.”
Adam Moorcroft, a member of the Angling Club who led on securing the grant, said: “The new floating islands don’t just look good, they filter and clean water naturally, which in turn improves the health of the lake’s fish. Cages underneath the islands also offer fish refuge and protection from cormorants, seabirds which come inland looking for food. The new planting will be sensitive to the local environment and help soften the landscape and improve biodiversity too.”
Elaine Li, Community Development and Involvement Manager at Bournville Village Trust, said: “Bournville Community Angling Club offer a great community facility and service to local people. Through this grant, they are also helping to protect the local environment for the benefit of everyone and we are pleased to work with and support them.”
Tom Morgan, Fisheries Technical Officer with the Environment Agency, said: “This project was funded by the Fisheries Improvement Programme. This allows us to re-invest rod license income into local angling facilities. The work here installing the floating islands, helps to create a more sustainable and natural fishery, which will be enjoyed by anglers and the local community for years to come. Bournville Community Angling Club have worked really hard to develop the project and deliver the work. They have been a fantastic group to work with.”
Bournville Community Angling Club has been running for well over 20 years and currently has 40 members, with a waiting list to join.
The Club lease the lake from Bournville Village Trust, which is one of the Midlands’ longest-serving independent charitable trusts. As part of the lease, the Club manage the lake and the fishing platforms, which include accessible-friendly wider platforms.
Fishing at the lake is available to non-club members every day, apart from Wednesday mornings and afternoons. To fish, you must have a rod fishing licence from the Environmental Agency and pay £5 per day to Bournville Community Angling Club (collected pool side).
Money the club charge to use the lake is ploughed back into managing the lake and surrounding environment.
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The poor little fish in this lake are put there simply for the benefit of those who want to fish them out! Where is the challenge in that? Surely, real fishermen do not require ‘sitting ducks’😧 but truly take their chances in real waterways etc? It is likely a child playing Cowboys and Indians, pretending the fighting is dangerous, and real! Get out there, you fishermen, and engage in the real challenge!!