ALTHOUGH, the Mapplebeck Anglers' Association is not a group, which usually fishes for credit they have landed themselves two major awards this year by taking top places in two Crimebeat Awards.

 

The fishing club, set up by a group of young people from Harrogate Borough Council's Fairfax Community Centre, has been such a success that it won through to the final of the National Crimebeat competition where they were unlucky enough just to be beaten into second place. 

 

And, as well as this national success, they also came joint first in the North Yorkshire and City of York Crimebeat competition.

 

Their hard work has paid off as they have won themselves £950 from the two competitions.  As a further reward, they are going down to London on

21 September to collect their national award.  They will also be taking in a tour of the City and have a trip on the London Eye.

 

Financially helped by the Harrogate and District Safer Communities Partnership and supported by the council's community leisure team, the police and the county council's youth service, these teenagers are a shining example of how, with a little bit of support, they can work for the benefit of their own community.  Not only are they raising funds for charity, they are also helping build bridges between groups of young people in Starbeck and Knaresborough.

 

Five teenagers from Knaresborough have recently joined the 22 members of the Mapplebeck Anglers' Association from Fairfax.

 

Councillor Mike Gardner, Chair of the Harrogate and District Safer Communities Partnership said.  "We were very impressed with these young people when they made their bid for funding.  In fact the businesslike way they dealt with setting up the club and the formal approach for funding from the Partnership went towards them getting this national award.  We are very pleased with the way the club is working and expanding and that the Partnership funding has been used to good effect. 

The members are to be congratulated."

 

So far this year, the group has caught 550lb of fish on five trips to fishing lakes around the county.  With one trip still to go they hope to exceed their total catch from last year.

 

 

NOTE TO EDITORS:  Crimebeat aims to work closely with the police, probation service, local authorities and youth services to reduce crime, the causes of crime and improve quality of life.

 

The scheme tries to cut crime by allowing youngsters to come up with activities and schemes they want to be involved in.