New and Unique Canal Angling Club Up and Fishing

The only angling club on inner London's canals - the Ladbroke Rovers Angling Club - will be up and fishing from June 1st on the Paddington Arm of the Grand Union Canal between Scrubs Lane and Ladbroke Grove in North West London, a stretch famous for its roach fishing.

Set up by London's leading's waterways charity Thames21, the club has attracted vital support and funding from British Waterways and the Environment Agency. Keith Arthur, angling's top media personality and presenter on talkSPORT and Sky Sports, will bring his encyclopaedia knowledge of Britain's most popular pastime to the club as its Honorary Vice President.

The Ladbroke Rovers will welcome anglers of all ages and as part of its pan-London angling development programme, Thames21 will be delivering free angling taster sessions to get people hooked.

Matches will run on Wednesday evenings and Saturdays for adults and juniors and England team members will be helping the club develop its match fishing.

Thames21's Angling Development Coordinator Grant Fear said, 'Angling is growing hugely in popularity and the Ladbroke Rovers Angling Club is set to become a fantastic and affordable resource for the local community. The club is already attracting a lot of interest and will play a role in bringing the local community together and inspire people to look after and improve the waterways through a shared love of angling.

John Ellis, Fisheries manager said 'British Waterways is delighted that Ladbroke Rovers have taken over the fishing rights on a section of the Grand Union Canal. We fully support their aim of introducing more junior anglers into the sport and to enjoy spending time by our waterways. Angling can play an important role in reducing anti-social behaviour and schemes like this encourage young people to value the waterways and to fish in a responsible way. The canal, with its good access and flat safe towpath, offers perfect facilities for such a programme. We wish this venture every success.'

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For media enquiries contact Leigh McAlea at Thames21 020 7213 0166 / 07875 250 284

Notes to editors

1. Thames21 London Angling Development Programme - began as a pilot project in West London in 2003 with the aim of getting young people interested in angling and caring for the waterways. Today, Thames21 runs many free angling taster sessions across London targeting deprived urban areas and works with angling clubs, community groups, local residents, British Waterways, the Environment Agency and other stakeholders to get London fishing.

2. The Ladbroke Rovers Angling Club (LRAC) is a membership club. Annual membership costs are: Full membership £15; Pensioners over 65 £10; Disabled £10; Juniors £5; Day tickets £4

British Waterways has part funded the set up costs of the LRAC by giving the club the fishing rights to the canal for free between Scrubs Lane and Ladbroke Grove for one year. More information about angling on British Waterways' canals is available at www.waterscape.com/angling or call 020 7985 7200 for a leaflet.

3. The Environment Agency have funded the Thames21 Angling Development Programme and contributed to set up costs for the Ladbroke Rover Angling Club. For more information about angling on the Environment Agency website visit www.environment-agency.gov.uk

4. Thames21 is an environmental charity working with communities to bring London's waterways to life. In 2006, the charity delivered 96 clean ups, worked with 4,024 volunteers and removed approximately 1,000 tonnes of litter. www.thames21.org.uk