By Tom Carroll

Fly Fishing With Tom

Fishing With Tom was born in April of 2005 one year after finding out our son was a heroin addict

As you may image it came as a HUGE shock to us all. And the reason given: "There is nothing for us to do all day except hang around on the streets."

I grew up on the streets of Northern Ireland during the trouble's and still found time to play. It would seem that today's kids lack this fundamental resource. Computers, alcohol & illegal street drugs are a major part of the way of life these days for kids under 17 in this area.

I give it a lot of thought during the very painful time watching my son go through hell as he recovered from his drug addiction. His nightmares became mine. His anger, hate, frustration all became part of not just my life but the life of our family. As I wrote, I give this matter a lot of thought to see what if anything I could do to help my son and the kids of the area. However due to mobility problems I was limited in what I could do. And then a very good friend suggested Fishing. "Hmmmm," I thought. "Now there is an idea."

Little did I know then. The long hours doing casting practice, the reading and learning how to talk to these kids. Then there is all the red tape. Child protection, health & safety, First Aid training - all of course needed to work within the law and to ensure children are safe.

Fishing With Tom opened it's door's in April 2005 with 2 children from the local children's services. We have seen a steady increase of children since that day to some 1200 children a year. One of the many things that I found doing this sort of thing was the lack of life skills kids had many of them never spoke or smiled,  A lot of them never make eye contact with you and you would be shocked to find how many of them have been abused. This was because many of them had come from bad homes where the mother or father were addicted to alcohol or drugs - or both. Family violence is often a way of life for these kids as they see their fathers beating their wifes and many of the children themselves have experienced a great deal of abuse. Often, no boundaries set for the kids meant that they did what they wanted when they wanted.

What I wanted to do was to offer them the chance to come to a place free from abuse and bullying as well as the pressures of everyday life.

The organization has had it's own growing pains - we thought we had nailed down a location that we could take the kids to in order to teach them fly fishing about three years ago but the people who leased the water no longer wanted us. We searched for a new home and are very grateful to have found it at West House Trout lakes in Bishopton Stockton - on - Tees.

Fly Fishing With Tom

It brings a smile to my face and a tingle down the spine when I see children who never speak or smile come running down the hill eager to talk to you or to show you something they purchased. A fly, reel, a rod, or maybe just a picture they drew of you and the day the had on the water ...so many children have made HUGE leaps forward because of what we do here. We offer them the chance to fish, play, tie flies, learn about fish, bugs and wildlife. The children also learn leadership skills such as how to work as a group or even on their own, they can meet new friends. Most importantly, they learn a new life skill which is something that they can take with them into adult life.

We can't help everyone who comes to us because you must want help in the first place. Sometimes we can help you find it. but you must still want it before it will help you.

If I had to live my life over I would start this up again 30 years before now and have helped 10's of thousands of people enjoy what so many of us take for granted.

Just before I close I would just like to add that although we charge a fee for using the project we take nothing from it other than petrol expenses. No wages are paid to anyone and we all volunteer our time for free and long may we have the health to continue doing it.

Tom Carroll, Director
Fishing With Tom
Reg Charity No 1126214
107 Pateley Close
Newton Aycliffe
Co Durham
U.K. DL5 7NG
01325 308049
07759 469032
www.fishingwithtom.com
fishermanL2@aol.com