TWO Winchester school children and their fly fishing headmistress swapped their waders for the West End’s red carpet after being cast in a TV documentary celebrating the importance of our chalk streams.
The young members of Prince’s Mead School’s fishing club, Edward Gibbs and Imogen Nichols, both 12, and headmistress Penelope Kirk, joined Fishing TV presenter Rae Borras and other big names from the fly fishing world for the London premiere of CHALK: Bedrock of Fly Fishing.
The Kings Worthy school head Miss Kirk said: “I got hooked as a child when I was taught to fly fish by my father. I wanted to pass on that passion for river sports to the next generation of fishermen, and teach them about the wonders of nature we have right here in our Hampshire rivers – the Itchen and Test are two of the most iconic rivers in Great Britain.”
A champion of the educational benefits of learning to fish, Miss Kirk co-ordinates the unusual after school fishing club for Years 4, 5, and 6 children at Simon Cooper’s ‘Fishing Breaks’ at Nether Wallop Mill.
Miss Kirk added: “Fly fishing takes time to learn and teaches children to focus, to have patience, be resilient and also helps them with their co-ordination.
“But most of all, it gives them a beautiful environment right here on our doorstep in Hampshire where they can be still and de-stress, away from all the digital distractions of daily modern life.”
CHALK: Bedrock of Fly Fishing airs on the Fishing TV channel on Friday, December 1.
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