By Claire Zambuni, Director at Zambuni PR
On a warm summer's evening on the 20th of July, the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust joined with Orvis to host their first ever fly fishing event.
All met at Orvis on Regent Street for a relaxed glass of wine and to hear James Doyle’s opening talk, who as Orvis Head of Fishing in the UK presented a warm welcome to all attendees.
Preceding this the merry pack they ‘followed the fish,’ - a large cardboard cut-out of a trout - to Green Park which was first held by Claire Zambuni (head of Zambuni PR and a champion of countryside pursuits), then by Ian Coghill the chairman of the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust as the guests wound themselves from the Orvis store on Regent Street, along Jermyn Street, past The Ritz and into the open green spaces of Green Park.
Green Park provided the perfect place for accuracy casting competitions set in front of the beautiful backdrop of Buckingham Palace. Guests practiced their accuracy casting and James Doyle helped the novices with a little tuition before the competition itself.
To round off the evening the guests descended on the revered Fly Fishers Club on Brook Street, the hallowed home of fly fishermen, for a presentation on GWCT’S salmon research by Bill Beaumont followed by a delicious dinner.
According to James Doyle, the Field Sports Manager for Orvis, ‘the wonderful presentation represented 44 years of continuous salmon and trout research on the river Frome.’
The evening was a triumph and Jeremy Payne, Director of Fundraising for the GWCT mused: ‘This was one of our only events specifically for our fishing supporters and we look forward to building on the success of the inaugural event.’ Ian Coghill, an avid fly fisherman himself fittingly won an Orvis Slingback for 6 out of 10 casts hitting the fish cut out in the park.
Orvis is family owned and is the largest fishing company in the world. Amazingly, they have only had 5 CEO’S in the company’s history since founded in 1856.
Orvis pride themselves in providing free learn to fish lessons to encourage new people into the sport and still hand make all their premium fishing rods in their workshop in Manchester, Vermont, USA. It was a great pairing to host the night with the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust and their Committee Chairman Ben Glazier reflected:
"The GWCT Buckinghamshire Committee were delighted to partner with Orvis for their fundraising event in-store at Orvis, in Green Park and at Flyfisher’s Club. I am looking forward to the next one, and enjoying my new-found addiction. This event was about more than just fundraising; many people aren't aware of the vast research projects carried out by GWCT scientists, who are leaders in European fish conservation work. Ian Coghill, Chairman of the GWCT stressed at the event the importance of their work and of partners like Orvis, who support our fundraising activities and we couldn't have done it without them."