A Liverpool charity says taking veterans out fishing is helping to improve their mental health, with participants describing the sport as calming, focusing, and a welcome break from difficult thoughts.
Regular trips to a Lancashire fishing lake
Launchpad, which provides accommodation and support services for ex-service personnel in Liverpool, is home to 50 veterans and regularly takes groups on fishing trips to a lake near Preston, led by a qualified angling instructor. Paddy Donoghue, who leads education, training and employment at the charity, was inspired to start the sessions after discovering the benefits of fishing himself.
“A lot of these guys struggle with depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety… and fishing is something that makes you think about something else,” he said. “One of the guys once said you’re concentrating on catching the fish and looking at the scenery and he said it takes everything else away, so it’s good for the mind, it’s good for the soul.”
“It can change your mindset”
Veteran Wayne, who takes part in the trips, said the outdoors setting has been a huge help. “It’s great for mental health, especially the outdoors,” he said. He added that fishing brings back happy memories of his childhood: “I used to fish a lot with my dad when I was a kid, so it’s a bit of reminiscing from the past as well.” He described how a single catch can turn a bad day around: “Just looking at the end of that rod can change the mindset from being down to actually having a good day, especially when you’re pulling a fish in.” He also pointed to the camaraderie among the group, saying the “banter” helps pull people out of a dark place.
Fellow veteran John said he valued both the company and the quiet. “You’re so far apart and you’ve got peace, as well as a bit of banter,” he said. “It takes you out of your everyday normal situations and brings you to a peaceful setting. It gives you that single point of focus which drowns all your problems out for the day.”
Should GPs be able to prescribe fishing?
John believes fishing should be made available through the NHS. “I absolutely believe that the GP should be able to refer you. It might stop a lot of people going downhill so far,” he said. “They should be able to prescribe you adventurous training or fishing, something that everybody needs in my eyes.”
What the evidence shows
Research by Anglia Ruskin University in 2022 found that people who fished regularly reported higher mental wellbeing and fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety than those who fished less often. NHS services have taken note too — Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust in Greater Manchester began running fishing sessions with a local charity in 2022, and an NHS trust in Essex began prescribing fishing for mental health in 2025. A spokesperson for Pennine Care’s nursing team said the activity “encourages mindfulness and being present in the moment,” helping to reduce anxiety, lower stress and boost confidence.
Nationally, the Angling Trust runs a similar scheme called Get Fishing for Wellbeing, working with local providers to deliver sessions for a wider range of groups. Paddy is now training to become a qualified angling instructor himself, funded by a bursary from the Environment Agency, using income raised through fishing licences — and hopes more organisations will start offering fishing to the people they support.
