This year we are launching a new Ambassador Programme, and delighted to announce Fred Bainbridge, Charles Jardine, Jeremy Lucas and Jim Curry as the Club’s first Ambassadors.
It’s 134 years since Max Walbran founded the Tanfield Angling Club and it could be argued that little has changed since those early days. It’s the same stretch of the beautiful River Ure (Yore), we still stock the river annually from our own hatchery and the fishing is excellent. However, fly-fishing has changed, methods, equipment, clothing and even the fly life isn’t what it used to be. Participation trends and demographics have changed too, and as a club we have to continue to evolve.
The role of our Ambassadors is to provide support for the Club. They will share their experiences and opinions with the committee, support members through our masterclass programme, write articles for our website and promote the club via their social media channels.
Members may rub shoulders with them on the river bank from time to time too!
Our Ambassadors are all expert fly-fishermen in their own right, each offering different perspectives and approaches to our sport. Fred is a former England Captain, medal winner and hugely successful local guide. Charles is a writer artist and legend of the fly-fishing community world-wide and his Fishing 4 Schools initiative is not only a wonderful achievement, its an opportunity to explore links with local schools. Jeremy is also a well known fly-fishing author and his minimalist approach to fly-fishing is an exciting and popular addition to our masterclasses series this season. Jim’s casting expertise and product knowledge as a Guideline representative keeps us at the cutting edge of fly-fishing design and technology.
We are looking forward to working with our Ambassadors too and I hope members get a chance to meet them at some point during the season whether at Masterclasses, social events or on the riverbank.
Jeremy Lucas on the River Ure at Tanfield
Charles Jardine on Hatchery Flatts
Fred Bainbridge leads a Masterclass
Jim Curry in action