Development of Junior Coarse Angling (UK)

In July 2003 JCA (UK) was formed by me (Les Webber), Alan Billington of the Hounslow Junior Angling Club, Tony Marchant and Adrian Croshaw from the Enfield Junior League AC, and at the request of a number of local fishing clubs that have junior angling sections.

The Reason

The Joint Angling Governing Bodies (JAGB) was the reason for forming JCA (UK). It was due to the lack of consultation and the communication by the JAGB communicating with angling clubs that had junior sections and the amount of negative publicity given to the angling press by the JAGB representatives.

To quote just a few

‘You won’t be able to get funding without one’ (coaching certificate) ‘You cannot work with youngsters unless you are a licensed coach’ and ‘You cannot work with any of the authorities’. The final straw was when I received a letter at my home from a representative from the JAGB outlining their policies and stating that ‘if I did not conform to their requirements to the letter, the JAGB along with Sport England would
publicly expose me, this statement caused uproar in the national press’ and the Angling Press. it led to many people and clubs giving up working with children.
Both Angling Projects and JCA (UK). Work with Police forces, schools, social services, probation services and other groups and have done so for the past 32 years, under the banner of Angling Projects.

All members of JCA (UK) and the Angling Projects Team are fully checked by the CRB and have carried out Child Protection workshop training, whilst working within the JCA (UK) code of conduct and child protection policy, some also hold valid first aid certificates.