Cast A Thought CIC

05/09/2026

🎣 FAMILIES + FISHING = THE PERFECT COMBINATION.

What a fantastic session at today with our Fishing Together programme. 🐟

Three families. Three different fishing stories. One brilliant day on the bank.

🎣 Family 1: Completely new to fishing — learning the basics and experiencing the excitement of catching their first fish.

🎣 Family 2: Dad and son joined us last year, and today they brought daughter along too. More family members, more memories.

🎣 Family 3: Mum and son who had joined us during previous HAF sessions. After a year away, the challenge was… could he remember what to do?

Thankfully, the fishing skills came back — along with some HUGE smiles.

But today wasn’t just about catching fish.

It was about families spending time together, trying something new, learning from each other and enjoying being outdoors.

And those smiles when the first fish came out?

Priceless.

This is exactly why we love Fishing Together.

These sessions wouldn’t be possible without the support of and

04/09/2026

🌧️ The ducks may have been trying to escape the rain today at Holm Place Farm, but our Fish and Chat participants certainly weren’t put off!

Wrapped up against the weather, everyone stuck with it—enjoying some good company, plenty of conversation and, of course, a bit of fishing. 🎣

A wet day didn’t dampen the spirits, and there were even some great catches to show for it!

04/09/2026

Being so busy over the summer we haven't had time to give a warm welcome to all of our new followers!

Debbie Galea
Dean Qazalbash
Emily Fraley
Kelly Collins
The Studio: Havant
Kate Louise
Martin Anderson
The Garden of Kent Worm Co.
Zoé Hutson
Luke Fothergill
Sarah Bones
The Laughter Specialists Charitable Trust
Christina White
Lynzi Welham
Michelle Barwick
Ronnies Way
Julia Reynolds

It’s fantastic to have so many new people joining the Cast A Thought community. Thank you for following our journey and supporting what we do.

Some of you have already met us through our programmes, events or partnerships, and we’re so grateful for your continued support.

If we’re yet to meet, we’d love to get to know you. Please introduce yourself in the comments and let us know:
🎣 How did you hear about Cast A Thought?
💬 What interested you in following our work?

We’re passionate about bringing communities together through angling and using fishing to improve wellbeing, build confidence and create opportunities for people of all ages.

If you’d like to learn more about our work, visit our website: www.castathought.co.uk⁠

We look forward to connecting with you all.

03/09/2026

We are now listed in the Essex SEND local directory

New to the Essex Local Offer directory 🌟

Cast A Thought CIC uses fishing to help children and young people with SEND build confidence, wellbeing and social skills. 🎣

Sessions are calm, structured and fun, with all equipment provided.

Available in Upminster and Dunmow for ages 8 to 18, and up to 25 with SEND.

To find out more, visit their listing below 👇

03/09/2026

Please share your comments re our HAF programmes at Puddledock and Little Easton Manor

A huge thank you to all the families who joined us over the summer holidays! ☀️

It was fantastic to see so many children and young people getting active, trying new activities, building confidence, making friends and creating lasting memories throughout the six week break.

We'd love to hear about your experience. Your feedback helps us understand the impact of our programme and how we can continue to improve and support families in the future.

📝 Please take a few minutes to complete our short survey: https://forms.monday.com/forms/3a6bad25ca198fa56e8be4127118f8b4?r=euc1

02/09/2026

🎣 Sometimes fishing isn’t the most important thing…

These two photos are among my favourites from our programme this summer.

Why?

Because many people assume that young people come to our sessions simply to fish.

And yes… they do. 🎣

But over the past six weeks, something else has happened.

The fishing has often taken second place.

The young people have made the space their own.

They have decided how they want to spend their time. They have made choices. They have had a voice.

Some have chosen to fish. Others have chosen to sit together and talk. They have played football, laughed, spent time with staff and simply enjoyed being in each other’s company.

There has been no need for us to constantly direct them or decide what their experience should look like.

Instead, we have given them the space, the opportunity and the freedom to choose.

And look what happens when young people are trusted to have a voice.

• They build friendships.
• They develop relationships.
• They connect.
• They belong.
• They create a space that feels like theirs.

The fishing lake may bring everyone together, but sometimes the greatest catch isn’t a fish.

Sometimes it’s connection, friendship, choice and belonging.

And that is why these two photos are so special to us.

02/09/2026

At Cast A Thought, fishing may be the activity that brings us together, but youth work is at the heart of how we work with young people.

As an organisation, we are lucky to have two qualified Youth Workers, on our team, each bringing over 16 years of experience working alongside children and young people. That experience has taught us that meaningful youth work is not about telling young people who they should be or trying to “fix” them.

It is about listening.

It is about creating opportunities.

It is about building trusted relationships.

And, most importantly, it is about recognising the strengths, individuality, voice and potential that already exist within every young person.

We are proud to support the Youth Work Code of Ethics, developed by the National Youth Agency. The Code reinforces so much of what we believe in: putting young people first, listening to their voices, creating inclusive environments, maintaining professional boundaries, safeguarding their wellbeing and supporting them to explore, grow and shape their own futures.

At Cast A Thought, our young people are not simply participants in an activity. Their experiences, ideas and voices matter.

Fishing gives us a unique environment to connect — away from the pressures of classrooms, labels and expectations. Sometimes the biggest conversations happen whilst sitting quietly by the water. Sometimes confidence grows through learning a new skill. Sometimes friendships develop when people are simply given the opportunity to be themselves.

Our role is not to have all the answers.

Our role is to walk alongside young people, provide opportunities, offer support when it is needed and create spaces where they feel heard, valued, respected and empowered.

Because great youth work is about relationships.

And relationships can change lives. 🎣

01/09/2026

🎣 Today we had the pleasure of delivering our annual fishing session for Marden Sporting Memories.

does such important work in bringing people together through a shared love of sport, conversation and memories. Their sessions provide opportunities to connect, combat social isolation and improve wellbeing — something that fits so closely with everything we believe in at Cast A Thought.

Fishing gave everyone the chance to create some new memories too.

Whether it was catching their first fish in over 50 years or catching a fish for the very first time, every participant managed to land at least one carp! 🎣 The smiles, excitement and stories that followed were absolutely priceless.

But, as always, the day was about so much more than the fishing. Between casts, participants enjoyed plenty of conversation over cups of tea and some homemade cakes 🍰☕ — because sometimes the most important connections are made simply by sitting together and having a chat.

A special thank you and well done to Sue Ellingham, who runs the group, for all that she does in bringing people together and creating such a welcoming and supportive environment.

It was also fantastic to meet Rev Vicky Young, Curate for Marden, and to share a little more about the work we do.

Days like today are a wonderful reminder that fishing can bring people together, create new friendships, rekindle old memories and, occasionally, help someone catch their first fish after half a century.

Thank you, Marden Sporting Memories, for another fantastic day. We are already looking forward to seeing you all again next June.

01/09/2026

Seeing us showcased in this video reminds us what an honour it was to receive one of these awards in 2024 for our HAF programme.

30/08/2026

A new school year brings new opportunities… and sometimes new challenges.

As our young people head back to school, some will be moving up a year, while others will be starting an exciting new chapter at a new school.

There may be new classrooms to find, new teachers to get to know, different routines to learn and, of course, new friendships waiting to be made. For some, this can feel exciting. For others, it may feel a little daunting — and that’s okay too.

This is a time to encourage our young people to believe in themselves, embrace new opportunities and remember that they don’t have to have everything figured out on day one. They can also build on the new skills they have learned over the summer at our Essex ActivAte sessions, using their experiences, confidence and growing independence to help them settle into the year ahead.

There will be challenges along the way, but challenges can help us build confidence, resilience and independence. It’s okay to make mistakes, ask questions and take time to settle in.

One really important thing we can encourage every young person to do is identify a safe adult in school — someone they trust and know they can talk to if things become difficult. Whether it’s a teacher, teaching assistant, pastoral lead or another member of staff, knowing who to turn to can make all the difference.

And remember… new beginnings also bring the opportunity for new friendships, new experiences and new possibilities.

To every young person returning to school or starting somewhere new: be yourself, be kind to others, ask for help when you need it, build on the skills you’ve developed over the summer and give yourself time to find your feet. You’ve got this!

Wishing all our young people a positive, happy and successful start to the new school year. We can’t wait to hear all about your adventures.