14th July 2018 – A great day at Cast & Blast, Meon Springs

Thanks to the organisational skills of Neil Mundy, one of our co-directors, the FFF Cast & Blast this year was exceptional. With 45 competitors and numerous guests, among them several members of 10 QOGLR Gurhkas, Chris Tarrant (Captain Chaos) and his lady Jane the day was a very memorable one.

The day started with the competitors chomping at the bit up to the shooting stands, or off to a ‘fly in’ start on the lakes as soon as the whistle went. To the lovely sound of wind passing casting rods, previous discussions on what fly, method and other possibly nefarious techniques went in the bin as fish were soon bending rods.

The banter was superb with advice being passed across the water at Meon Spring with some rather ribald replies from both angling sexes, concerning parts of one’s anatomy, made you pleased there were no children present. It warmed up rapidly and fish got wiser by the hour so we had to start hunting for our quarry in the lakes or slow our adrenalin at the gun cages, chasing the clays.

Lunch was outstanding, supplied by the ladies at Meon, served by Greg, Tim & Co and was followed by Jane Bird (Chris’s lovely partner) calling the raffle, closely followed by Chris auctioneering many lots donated by supporters and friends of FFF. If Chris decides to give up his celeb status he would do splendidly as an auctioneer, as those who were slow to bid he shamed in to doing so, laced with waves of laughter. He raised a phenomenal sum and practically gave himself a coronary along the way. I was exhausted just watching him.

The staff at Meon did a superb job before, during and after the event ensuring nothing was too much trouble and I cannot thank them enough.

Special thanks must go to all the competitors and guests ,the Mundy family the JLP Partnership for sponsoring the day and Pauline Pendle for superb pictures and of course Chris & Jane for making it such a superb day and raising close to £8,640.00.

Trophies were presented to:

Mick Heasman  TWFFS for SMALLEST FISH (Hah): 1lb 11oz

Bill Bishop  JLP Pshp for Heaviest Fish: 6lb 11oz         

Paul Robinson (Definite ringer) for Heaviest Bag: 12lb11oz         

Hank Di Mond (A wild card) Best Shot on clays: 19 out of 20 clays



No prizes given if you spot the picture of us looking at the floor and a hundred pieces of glass when I dropped Hank’s shooting trophy with a “I thought you had it and no I thought you had it”.

Please put Saturday July 13th 2019 in your diary for the next Cast & Blast.

My personal and most sincere thanks to all for such sterling support. 

Bill Howell FFF Founder.

The Wright Stuff promotes FFF

As you may know from our previous posts, we’re lucky to count Matthew Wright of the The Wright Stuff among our Fishing for Forces supporters. On Wednesday 30th September, he was kind enough to mention FFF on his show during an interview with Chris Tarrant (also an FFF supporter).

If you’d like to see Matthew and Chris Tarrant, you can watch the episode here at 5 on Demand: http://www.channel5.com/shows/the-wright-stuff/episodes/episode-193-58

The episode will be available until 6th October 2015.

Survey project at Angling Projects Wraysbury

Date: 30th-31st August 2014

I was privileged to be asked to take part in a survey project investigating the therapeutic effect angling has on those who have suffered wounds and trauma in conflict.

The project involved 14 ex military personnel and was coordinated by Mark Wheeler and Dr Nick Cooper from Essex University Dept of Psychology and Prof Jamie Hughes from Vets Inst at Anglia Ruskin. The venue was Angling Projects Lake at Wraysbury run by Les Webber MBE. The guests came from all over the UK via Colchester PRU and spent the week end (Sat/Sun) in Bivvies fishing for Carp and other coarse fish. Les supplied all the tackle (rods etc) and Nash Tackle supplied the beds and Bivvies (tents) thanks to Nick Watkins. Fishing for Forces supplied T-shirts and baseball caps and I generally made a nuisance of myself wherever possible!

It was amazing to see 14 people who did not know each other suddenly spring into action as a team when told they were erecting the Bivvies (they were going to be sleeping in them) and assisting each other all the way round the lake transporting the gear in wheelbarrows with a small race to get the best spots! The event was boosted when on Saturday lunchtime Captain Chaos (aka Chris Tarrant) and his Lady arrived and spent a long time chatting with each guest and giving advice on carp fishing and weed clearing. They (CT and Lady Jane) returned again on Sunday so that he could sign T shirts and caps and discuss with the guests how they felt the weekend went. Chris spoke at length with the University team who stayed overnight with the guests and the general consensus from the guests – to a man and lady – was that they had a great time and the transformation was visibly heart warming.

Quite a number of the weekend’s guests will be joining us at the RMAS day for a bit of trout fishing and there is serious discussion about starting a club so FFF may have more work to do. As anglers know (because they are anglers) the therapeutic relief we get from a stress-ridden week at work, we now have to share it as much as possible with those who suffer and have suffered in defence of our much-envied way of life. It is easier than you think to share this knowledge and your contribution is invaluable.


Bill Howell


Judging by recent articles and comments from members of the group and their relatives after this event it appears “Mission Accomplished”

Bill Howell


Therapeutic Survey Write Up Therapeutic Survey 2125