As Chairman of WDNAC I was delighted to hear that we had been voted Club of The Year for 2020 in The Angling Times National Angling Awards.
This award is the icing on the cake in what has been a very busy and successful year for the Club. It has been achieved by a dedicated Committee and team of volunteers who have been working tirelessly to promote and improve our Club.
Bucking the national trend, our Junior membership has gone from strength to strength due in no small part to the efforts of the coaching team – Brian Dray, Pat Burn and Ian Halliwell – who have taken these numbers up to almost 300 and produced some fine young anglers. Some of these Junior members went on to represent the Club in a Junior National held on the Shropshire Union Canal.
Others who deserve a mention for their efforts are:-
Sam Cortese, our Club Secretary, who managed to obtain two valuable grants for us. One was used to lay the new track between the river and Barkers Lake. The other helped to purchase our new tractor, supporting a generous donation from Tony Barker.
Committee member Ash Hubbard, for creating and maintaining our fantastic new website.
Also, and he won’t thank me for saying this, but since joining the Committee a few years ago Peter Laughton, our Club Treasurer, has brought a professional approach to the running of our club. His marketing skills in producing our club magazines, annual calendar and club cards have made a huge difference in informing our ever increasing membership of club waters and activities.
A special mention must also go to Carl Irons our bailiff co-ordinator who has organised the efficient running of our bailiff team across all the waters.
All other committee members bailiffs and saturday work-party members have played their important part in ensuring the smooth running and maintenance of our fisheries, and my sincere thanks go out to them all.
A person who would have been extremely proud of our achievements was Brian Crowhurst, our former Chairman, who helped sow the seeds of our success but is, sadly, no longer with us to see them flourish.
In closing I would like to say how proud I am of our Club and all the volunteers who give their time and efforts in making our Club the success that it is. Many thanks to all concerned, and have a Happy and safe Christmas. May 2021 be as successful as 2020!
Ivor Stokes
Chairman
Editor’s Note:
A massive vote of thanks must also go to Ivor, who has worked tirelessly for our club in his roles of Chairman and Match Secretary, as well as working at all of the Saturday work parties.
