A St Athan teenager living with autism has transformed his life by taking up angling.

15 year-old Dan Winter has been fishing for just over a year, with his life going from one of struggle and isolation to a bright future.

His mum, Rhiannon said: "I picked him up from a fishing event and it was at that moment I thought, you know what, he's going to be alright."

Dan and his mother Rhiannon moved to a new area in St Athan - and while they were still waiting for a suitable school placement and not yet knowing anyone locally, she made some enquiries about how to get Dan started.

They were introduced to Cowbridge-based Tight Lines Angling, who, under the guidance of coach Chris Miller, got Dan hooked onto carp fishing at Hazelcourt Ponds.

With the support of the hub at Whitmore High School in Barry his education has been adapted to incorporate fishing into his school experience.

Since then, Dan - who also has ADHD - has gained weekly work experience at Holton Road Angling - a tackle shop in Barry - and has also been introduced to Reel Minds, who Dan also now regularly fishes with having also developed a love for sea angling.

Ahead of his 16th birthday in June, Dan is hoping to be named in the junior team to fish for Team Wales at the Shore Angling Home Internationals i Ireland, having already fished the trials last year.

"Fishing has changed his life completely," said mum Rhiannon.

"If you could see the boy before and the boy after; the boy before was, for want of a better word, reclusive – he was very anxious and anti-social and found it very difficult to regulate his emotions."

"He used to have these meltdowns and what not, but Dan now just goes and sorts his fishing stuff out and he's fine then; that's his coping strategy."

"I was honestly so worried about Dan and for his future but now, with so many people supporting him, I don't have to worry as much."

"I can say to the Reel Minds lads that Dan has had a tough week in school, but they pick him up and take him out fishing."

"I picked him up from a fishing event and I got really emotional because there were so many  people there just cheering Dan on and it was at that moment I thought, you know what, he's going to be alright."

"Our relationship as well has hugely developed from going fishing, not that I know how to go fishing, but just to sit with him down at fishing; that's when Dan will tend to open up to me as well."

"He suffered with social anxiety and had difficulty in social settings, unless he's got that kind of script. But now he can just talk to people about fishing, he's just got so comfortable with people."

"I can't really put it into words how grateful I am for fishing and the fishing community for accepting him and getting him talking. The impact it has had on his life Is just incredible."

Dan's story is being shared  as part of Children's Mental Health Week, which was launched in 2025 by the Place2Be charity.

This year's theme, 'Know Yourself, Grow Yourself', aims to encourage young people to discover how getting to know who they are can help them build resilience, grow and develop; coming together to help children and young people build lifelong coping skills and thrive.

"The one thing I've noticed is that I didn't really like talking to many people," said Dan.

"But since I started fishing I just go up to random people and talk to them. I also work in a fishing tackle shop in Barry and that's very social."

"I find I'm just able to relax with fishing; you're only thinking about and concentrating on fishing at that one time."

"For me the best thing about fishing has to be exploring new places I'd say, it's nice to find a new mark and enjoy that new mark."

Rhiannon also credits Dai Llewellyn of Angling Ambition for supporting Dan's fishing journey, along with Chris Miller at Tight Lines, Daniel Crump at Holton Road, Dave Williams and Reel Minds, Haydn Ross at Cardiff Bay Marina – as well as the key role his school has played in that journey.

"The school have been so supportive since he got the placement," continued Rhiannon.

"He's found a school that has actually incorporated fishing in and his teachers have adapted things in such a way to allow him to actually take his GCSEs."

"This has also built up then to Dan getting work experience on a Tuesday and then also going out with Reel Minds. They've just been brilliant and I can't thank them enough."

"From him struggling to navigate the world with the challenges we've faced throughout Dan's life, I can't believe how far he's come and what he has achieved."

"He's been out a lot with Haydn Ross in Cardiff Bay – who has offered Dan, if he wants, a summer job to go and help out on the boats and he's even thinking about going to college."

"I am so incredibly proud of him."

Dave Williams, founder of Reel Minds, added: "We've worked with Dan for just over a year and he has really grown in that time.

"Last summer we ran some kids sessions and Dan volunteered his time to come along and help support the younger kids by showing them the ropes."

To find out more about Children's Mental Health Week 2025, visit their website.