A charity auction held at Forbes of Kingennie in February raised £5,000 for Casting for Recovery, the unique fly fishing programme for women who have, or have had, breast cancer. The charity’s Sue Shaw and Jill Grieve went to Kingennie on 5th June to receive the cheque from owners Mike and Gail Forbes.
Casting for Recovery provides fly fishing programmes at idyllic retreats around the UK and Ireland. It enjoys the financial backing of the Countryside Alliance and all fishing equipment is provided by Orvis UK, but the generosity of supporters such as Mike and Gail Forbes at Kingennie make a massive difference to the initiative’s ability to provide unforgettable weekends for its lady participants.
The programme first held a retreat at Forbes of Kingennie in September 2009 and it was so successful, thanks to the warm welcome provided by Mike, Gail and their team, that another retreat will be held there in September. Self-contained accommodation next to fishing lakes make Kingennie a perfect location for the Casting for Recovery programme, where ladies can escape in tranquil surroundings, make new friends and learn fly fishing.
The fundraiser and auction raised £10,000, which will be split equally between Casting for Recovery and local charity Tayside Children with Cancer and Leukaemia (TCCL). Casting for Recovery was only set up in UK and Ireland in 2006 and so every fundraising donation is extremely precious as this unique programme continues to establish itself.
The UK and Ireland Programme Co-ordinator is Sue Hunter, who recovered from breast cancer to become an international gold medallist fly fisher. Sue said “I cannot thank the team at Kingennie enough, they have been generosity itself and so supportive of Casting for Recovery’s aims. Mike and Gail know first hand the wonderful benefits fly fishing can bring and their kindness in raising this money will help to ensure that many other brave ladies will be able to come on retreat and experience those benefits for themselves.”
Owner of Forbes of Kingennie, Mike Forbes said: “Casting for Recovery and Tayside Children with Cancer and Leukaemia are both charities extremely close to our heart. They do a brilliant job in helping cancer sufferers and we are delighted to support them.”
