The 2006 Dreamstore Active Awards, sponsored by Bank of Scotland Corporate held at Chesford Grange, Warwickshire, highlighted a range of groups, projects and individuals that have made a huge contribution to society through angling over the past year. The awards are not about the fish, equipment or celebrity – the awards are about people and organisations generating change for the better, for others.

Conservation and Best Business/Agency Awards for 2006 – Fishing Wales
It would be hard not to give a conservation Award to a project which improves habitat and access to habitat on over 350 kilometres of river. Even harder when that same project which makes available habitat-survey and -restoration courses and Fishery Management evening classes delivering training on offer to over 100 fishery managers, both club and owners.
In addition to the conservation activities there are also the angling participation activities that have been spawned from this one project. The growing optimism in sustaining future activity has been underpinned by a sustained cooperation across clubs and fisheries and agencies, and a general attitudinal change to a ‘can do’ approach to making progress.

Fishing Wales has successfully combined improvement to the infrastructure of natural habitats, with the added drive of including local participation and interest, and enhancing the angling experience for the visitor. It is the sum total of improved environment, a social impact in bringing so many together to volunteer and support, and the economic benefits that has resulted in Dreamstore Active combining the Conservation and Best Business/Agency Awards for 2006.

Improvements in conservation, attitudes and tourism on the scale achieved might well alone have justified the spend of £5.2 million, but more so when the increased spend in the region by angling tourists amounts to an increase of over one third in three years, from £67 million to almost £100 million.