Fishing project offers young people opportunity

Cast a Thought offers young people the chance to "be themselves"

Children taking part in a Kent project which runs fishing activities are getting the chance to clear their heads and give back to those that have helped them.

Cast A Thought, which is financially supported by BBC Children in Need, has partnered with Kent Police and local councils to run angling activities for young people.

Kent Police PCSO Kirsty Greaves said the project meant the young people didn't "go down the wrong path".

She added: "It allows them to be themselves. It allows them to be peaceful. They're not getting in to any trouble and they're doing what they love."

Henry says training to be a young leader on the scheme is giving him the opportunity to give back

Will, who has taken part in the scheme, said: "When I go, it just gets stuff off my mind.

"When I've got things I'm worrying about, I go fishing with my sister, by myself or with my mates, it just helps me clear my head."

Henry was on the project two years ago. He is now training to be a young leader and says he enjoys his time with the group.

"It's giving back to people that have helped me and teaching kids what I know, which will help them in the future in case they want to become young leaders," he said.

PCSO Greaves said of the young people: "They're so passionate about it which means we can all be passionate about it as well."

David Elstone, lead angling coach, said he could not "speak highly enough" of the support from BBC Children in Need.

"Without it, we wouldn't be here," he said. "That is the bottom line."

Throughout 2022/23, Children in Need supported more than 426,000 children and young people across the UK.

Around 49,000 of those were in South East England.