Keen fisherman Ashley ‘Ash’ Ainsworth, who suffered a brain injury 33 years ago when he was 18, believes it takes people 10 years to get to know themselves again after acquiring such damage.

With his love of fishing and a desire to meet and mingle with others, he and his occupational therapist, Neurolinks’ Nadine Holgate, designed a program called Fish, Chat, Eat, Repeat around 18 months ago.

They cast an invitation out to people with brain injuries to join them.

Several took the bait, and now there’s around nine hooked on the social activity.

Nadine facilitates the monthly sessions at the well-equipped and all-abilities accessible Arcadia Hatchery, while Ash helps participants learn to fish.

“After all I went through, I want to give something back,” he said.

Nadine says people might not associate occupational therapy with fishing, but that OT is essentially all about finding ways for people to participate in what’s meaningful to them and in their community.

“Brain injury can be really isolating,” she said.

“Often people can’t return to work or the life roles they used to do.”

Participant Sonny Cooper, from Moirathban ancestral land between Barmah and Deniliquin in NSW, joined the group at the beginning of this year.

“I’m yet to catch a fish, but I love the social lunch and chat,” he said.

During his first session, Sonny, a traditional Aboriginal culture teacher who travels across Australia teaching First Nations people how to continue their culture, told the group the story of how the Dunggula (Murray River) was formed and explained the traditional ways he fished in his youth.

Sonny, who acquired his injury after a stroke, often brings his didgeridoo to entertain the group members on their lunch break.

Another participant, Rick Collihole, said he tried to cast a line in a body of water every day, often riding his three-wheeler to the irrigation channel that borders his property.

He’s met the group monthly since it was established.

“Normal life is boring without fishing,” Rick said.

“A bad day fishing is still better than a good day at work.”

Nadine said the program had created a community of people with brain injury where the focus was on fishing as a meaningful activity, not on injuries or disabilities.

Through that, participants find natural support.

She said group members were gaining confidence, rebuilding social skills and reconnecting with valued activities they thought they'd lost.

OT Week runs from October 27 to November 2, with this year’s theme OT in Action.

Fish, Chat, Eat, Repeat certainly grabbed that hook and swam with it.

For more information on OT Week, visit Occupational Therapy Australia’s website.

For more information on Neurolinks, visit the website.

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Friday, 17th December 2027

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