Dear Andy T,
Please accept my sincere gratitude for allowing your RSSG thread to be at the top of the BFW forum for so long.
To Andy Frances goes my utmost gratitude and thanks on behalf of all the RSSG membership for allowing us to not only use his site for the creation on the RSSG, but to allow and support its presence on here. Mere words alone cannot express the dept of gratitude the RSSG owes to Andy in this respect.
Well, its been a long haul over a short space of time to get the RSSG on the verge of its final formation meeting next weekend. And a longer haul to be ready to put in place the many aspects of RSSG endeavours for its future after the final formation meeting. But even though my home midnight oil has been burning brightly most evenings, and I am very exhausted, I am extremely pleased how things are going.
My thanks go out to Ray, Ian, Steve Richardson, Steve Ralph, Mike Berridge, Dave Wingfield and others behind the scenes who have had a lot of input so far and whose help has been invaluable.
But before I go off to do some more printing, I would like to say a few words on aspects I feel are very important for us all.
The RSSG has arrived and is now in place to work for its own membership effectively. The word "effectively" is very important to remember. Also, good words to remember are these;
"Protecting local fishing" Supporting local fishing clubs" "Protecting the River Systems Environment"
These are the words that appear on the RSSG headed paper. They are good words. Honest words of the RSSG's intentions to work for the benefit of its membership and the ongoing future for river anglers where ever they fish and whatever they choose to fish for.
Let us also remember the words spoken at the RSSG's first formation meeting. "What is in the past, is past. And we cannot undue the past, but merely try to prevent the same happening again". Now those words spoken and accepted by all at that meeting were intended to draw a line underneath events at river venues Kickles Farm and Adams Mill. They are also very good words that reflect the very reason behind the existence of the RSSG.
Open to all river fishing is the lifes blood of going fishing on rivers. Whether one is "named" or not, we all rely on being able to travel to our chosen river to fish freely for chosen species living there. We are also reliant on the thousands of fishing clubs that provide our fishing. Without their existence, we would have very few places in which to fish at all within river sysytems. And without a thriving and healthy river systems environment, we would be back in the bad old days when rivers and their habitats were given scant regard by major industrialists who used our rivers as a dumping ground.
We have come very far since those black days. But there is still much more to do and much worth fighting for.
But this cannot be done "effectively" by burrying our heads in the sand or by prodding a wound that should now be allowed to heal. It is time to move on people. Time to start pulling together for what's really important for us all. Our rivers, and the fishing they provide for us all.
Angling needs the "names" within it to promote our sport and to provide an axis point that so many angling social events revolve around. And angling needs the rank and file majority of ordinary anglers that create the wheel that turns the machine. We are all, linked in a great circle that IS angling.
Tackle trades, bait dealers etc. We are all in this together because we ARE angling, plain and simple.
I happen to believe with all my heart that it is high time we all put any past differences away once and for all and started to build something really good and great for river anglers. Something to be really proud of and something worth being a part of.
We can all start right here, right now by looking towards the future. Let us all be brave enough to go forward.
Together.
Regards,
Lee.
Please accept my sincere gratitude for allowing your RSSG thread to be at the top of the BFW forum for so long.
To Andy Frances goes my utmost gratitude and thanks on behalf of all the RSSG membership for allowing us to not only use his site for the creation on the RSSG, but to allow and support its presence on here. Mere words alone cannot express the dept of gratitude the RSSG owes to Andy in this respect.
Well, its been a long haul over a short space of time to get the RSSG on the verge of its final formation meeting next weekend. And a longer haul to be ready to put in place the many aspects of RSSG endeavours for its future after the final formation meeting. But even though my home midnight oil has been burning brightly most evenings, and I am very exhausted, I am extremely pleased how things are going.
My thanks go out to Ray, Ian, Steve Richardson, Steve Ralph, Mike Berridge, Dave Wingfield and others behind the scenes who have had a lot of input so far and whose help has been invaluable.
But before I go off to do some more printing, I would like to say a few words on aspects I feel are very important for us all.
The RSSG has arrived and is now in place to work for its own membership effectively. The word "effectively" is very important to remember. Also, good words to remember are these;
"Protecting local fishing" Supporting local fishing clubs" "Protecting the River Systems Environment"
These are the words that appear on the RSSG headed paper. They are good words. Honest words of the RSSG's intentions to work for the benefit of its membership and the ongoing future for river anglers where ever they fish and whatever they choose to fish for.
Let us also remember the words spoken at the RSSG's first formation meeting. "What is in the past, is past. And we cannot undue the past, but merely try to prevent the same happening again". Now those words spoken and accepted by all at that meeting were intended to draw a line underneath events at river venues Kickles Farm and Adams Mill. They are also very good words that reflect the very reason behind the existence of the RSSG.
Open to all river fishing is the lifes blood of going fishing on rivers. Whether one is "named" or not, we all rely on being able to travel to our chosen river to fish freely for chosen species living there. We are also reliant on the thousands of fishing clubs that provide our fishing. Without their existence, we would have very few places in which to fish at all within river sysytems. And without a thriving and healthy river systems environment, we would be back in the bad old days when rivers and their habitats were given scant regard by major industrialists who used our rivers as a dumping ground.
We have come very far since those black days. But there is still much more to do and much worth fighting for.
But this cannot be done "effectively" by burrying our heads in the sand or by prodding a wound that should now be allowed to heal. It is time to move on people. Time to start pulling together for what's really important for us all. Our rivers, and the fishing they provide for us all.
Angling needs the "names" within it to promote our sport and to provide an axis point that so many angling social events revolve around. And angling needs the rank and file majority of ordinary anglers that create the wheel that turns the machine. We are all, linked in a great circle that IS angling.
Tackle trades, bait dealers etc. We are all in this together because we ARE angling, plain and simple.
I happen to believe with all my heart that it is high time we all put any past differences away once and for all and started to build something really good and great for river anglers. Something to be really proud of and something worth being a part of.
We can all start right here, right now by looking towards the future. Let us all be brave enough to go forward.
Together.
Regards,
Lee.
