REEL ROD SQUAD CIC

Reel Rod Squad CIC is a Nuneaton-based community charity with one of the most powerful mottos in UK angling: “Pick up a rod, not a knife.” Founded by Jo and Lee Marchant alongside friends Emily and Matt, the CIC was set up to give young people aged 8-15 a safe, structured, supportive route into fishing and to use the sport as a positive intervention against knife crime, screen addiction, and the social isolation that affects so many young people today.

The squad has been featured by the Angling Trust as a flagship Get Fishing partner, and has been profiled in Angling Times for its work boosting junior participation across Coventry, Birmingham and the wider Midlands. Sessions are held at safe local venues, with tackle provided so newcomers don’t need to invest before they know they enjoy the sport. The team runs regular open events, workshops on essential knots and tackle setup, and monthly junior matches with trophies and prizes for every entrant, building competitive confidence in a low-pressure environment.

Parents have reported significant improvements in children’s social skills and concentration after joining, with many young people who previously struggled with focus thriving on the bank. The squad’s competitive juniors have also performed at national level – Reel Rod Squad Green’s LJ Stroud took individual junior silver at the 2025 Angling Trust Junior Nationals, weighing 50-375 from Benny’s peg 28 at Maver Hayfield Lakes. Slowly expanding with volunteers from Coventry and Birmingham, the squad’s ambition is to take the model nationwide. Find out more at reelrodsquad.co.uk.