On Social Prescribing Day 2025, UK EAA member Angling Trust highlighted how angling can address social issues like health and wellbeing, isolation, and loneliness. Through the Get Fishing for Wellbeing initiative, it shows that fishing offers an escape from daily life, immersion in nature, and a meditative activity that helps reduce stress and anxiety.
UK Social Prescribing Day - an important opportunity to showcase angling's benefits to mental health
Social Prescribing Day (March 19th in 2025) is an annual celebration of the people, organisations and communities who make social prescribing happen. Every year since 2019, thousands of local, national and international organisations, link workers, medical professionals, academics and students have taken part across the world to hold events, share ideas and highlight the impact of social prescribing on people and communities and raise awareness of what social prescribing is, how it works, and how it changes lives.
Angling Trust highlighted how angling can be a powerful tool for addressing social illnesses such as health and wellbeing, isolation, and loneliness.
To do this, is has launched the
Get Fishing for Wellbeing initiative by EAA's UK member
Angling Trust emphasises how angling can boost mental health and wellbeing. Fishing offers a chance to escape the demands of daily life, surround oneself with nature, and engage in a meditative pastime. This can help reduce stress and anxiety, providing a much-needed “mental reset”.
“After a close friend died suddenly last year from Covid-19 I started getting anxiety attacks. The doctor said to get out into nature and try meditation. It’s hard to explain but fishing feels like I do both at the same time and it really helps.”
Attendee – Get Fishing Event
Angling can help improve focus, achieve relaxation, reduce anxiety and fight social isolation
Angling Trust states that angling can address isolation and loneliness by offering a social activity facilitating connection among individuals. The Get Fishing for Wellbeing project encourages community engagement, providing opportunities for people to interact through fishing. This can be helpful for those experiencing social isolation or who lack companionship.
Angling offers the opportunity to escape the demands of a busy work and home life by surrounding yourself in nature writes Angling Trust. Our beloved activity provides an opportunity for the mind rest and appreciate the wildlife away from a world of technology.
The Get Fishing for Wellbeing project aims getting more people fishing more often. Each year the organisation runs
hundreds of events for all ages and abilities. Get Fishing angling events are for anyone who wants to get into fishing, get back into angling or find out where to go fishing, who to go fishing with, what to use to start fishing and how to go fishing for the first time.
According to research by the University of Essex (UK) engaging in physical activity in a green environment significantly boosts self-esteem, reduces stress, and enhances overall mood. This positive effect is further amplified when water features are present within the green environment.
“After a road accident caused by a brain injury and PTSD, I have had problems with concentration and tiredness. Fishing helps me focus and keeps me alert but relaxed. It’s helped me escape a very dark place and be happy again.”
Get Fishing Testimonial
The Angling Trust’s Get Fishing campaign to get more people fishing more often is funded by the
Environment Agency from
fishing licence income as part of the
National Angling Strategic Services contract with the Angling Trust, and
Sport England. Children under 13 do not need a licence, and licences for children aged between 13 and 16 are free but you still need to register and receive a licence before you go fishing. You can get a licence for the full year, for 8 days (ideal for holidays!) or just a day’s fishing.
Watch Declan explain more about how fishing helped with mental health issues after a car crash in this video
https://youtu.be/jSqS5Q62jos
More information
More on Social Prescribing Day can be found via this
link
More information on the Get Fishing project by Angling Trust via this
link
More projects by EAA members on mental welfare & community building: