Fishing binds friends together

Having a young friend who’s mad keen on fishing has given Nelson man Allen Knott the perfect excuse to dust off his fishing boat and get out on the water. Allen recently became a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Nelson and he mentors nine-year-old Mackenzie, who is a fishing enthusiast. As a mentor Allen’s role is simple: to spend an hour or two a week with Mackenzie doing activities they both enjoy. One of the first things the pair did together was take Allen’s boat out in Tasman Bay for a bit of fishing. Allen says it was a very successful trip; they returned with a kahawai and they both had a great time. ``Mackenzie had a smile on his face the whole time,’’ Allen says. ``It was great. I’m a keen fisherman, so this gives me a good excuse to take the boat out more.’’ Allen, who is a father of four, says he decided to volunteer as a mentor because he felt he had something to offer and had time and energy to spare since his children were now grown up. He was matched with Mackenzie because they have similar interests. They enjoy the outdoors and being active. Allen says the match has proven to be a good one and he’s very impressed with Mackenzie’s energy and enthusiasm. ``We went on a three-hour walk in the Brook Sanctuary – because I do some trapping up there for the sanctuary – and he handled it with ease,’’ he says. The pair also plan to do some bike riding and build a trolley together. Allen says he’s looking forward to building a great friendship with Mackenzie – a friendship he hopes will last for many years. Allen is one of about 120 mentors involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Nelson. Director Gavin Millar says the mentors come from all walks of life and the young people they mentor benefit a lot from their friendship. He says the need for mentors continues to grow, particularly for male mentors since there are currently about 30 boys in the Nelson area waiting to be matched with mentors. For further information please contact: Gavin Millar, Big Brothers Big Sisters Nelson Programme Director Tel: 03 545 9864; Email: volunteer@bbbs.org.nz www.bigbrothersbigsisters.org.nz/local/nelson