Anneka Rice attends Albrighton charity celebrations
TV presenter Anneka Rice returned to an Albrighton charity to celebrate its anniversary – 25 years after launching it on Challenge Anneka.
The Albrighton Trust Moat and Gardens, held a fishing competition to mark the event on Sunday.
Manager of the centre in Blue House Lane, Sandy Jackson said: "Anneka came along and presented the prizes to all the participants, everyone had a trophy for competing and then there was an award for the biggest fish and an award for the most fish.
"John Price caught the biggest fish of the day which was 1lb 12oz. John has been coming here since he was about four years old so it was wonderful that he managed to bag that prize.
"Chloe Morris caught 81 fish which was pretty amazing, she did brilliantly, some only caught 14 or 15.
"14 people took part in the competition. The competitors all have various learning disabilities. There are angling coaches that provide support for them.
"The participants all come to the trust regularly, we invited them as regular anglers.
"We also have gardeners and wood crafters on the day who showed invited guests what they have been doing.
"The invited guests were people who have supported us in different ways."
The moat and gardens was formerly a farmer's field which was transformed on Anneka Rice's TV show.
It now provides recreation and education activities for people with disabilities, special needs or illness.
Sandy added: "We were a Challenge Anneka project 25 years ago so her invited her back.
"It was a program in the early 90s. It was an old farmer's field but it had the remains of an ancient moat. It took two days for them to turn it into a facility for disabled people. They put in fishing platforms which re accessible for disabled people, pathways and they re-sank the moat which had dried.
"It's because of that Challenge Anneka show that it's here today, it was the starting point for the charity.
"Anneka was very very impressed, she remembered it. It has changed considerably since, now we do wildlife conservation, crafts and horticulture.
"We were delighted that she came back and she was absolutely brilliant with all the angling participants."
