Surf Relief UK to launch project ‘Surfable’ 2008 at the White Stuff Surf Relief Festival

Surf Relief, the UK’s leading surfing charity, is launching Project Surfable through a network of surf schools across England, kicking off at the White Stuff Surf Relief Festival on July 26th at Watergate Bay in Newquay, Cornwall.

Across Britain’s east and south coasts, a network of surf schools will provide opportunities for hundreds of disabled children to ride waves on some of the country’s most beautiful beaches. The schools in the network are to provide an experience of a lifetime in a safe environment.

All schools use experienced, highly qualified instructors and specialist equipment, such as soft tandem 11ft boards, which allow the participant and instructor to ride the surf together. Through the network, the charity subsidises one-to-one surfing lessons for a wide range of disabilities. At just £20, individual tuition is 20% of a standard lesson fee.

The project will be launched at Surf Relief’s annual funding raising event, the White Stuff Surf Relief Festival, at Watergate Bay on July 26th. Throughout the day, 30 disabled children will have the opportunity to sign up for a free lesson from the network’s instructors (participants must book in advance via {encode=”[email protected]” title=”Lis Leader”}).

Dave Manley, TSRUK Chairman, said: “Surf Relief UK is a small charity achieving big things. Our Project Surfable is an exciting, challenging and unique venture that aims to use surfing to improve the lives of disabled and disadvantaged young people. Experience shows that taking part in surfing improves an individual’s well being. I have seen examples of autistic children who are normally introverted and unresponsive become animated and ecstatic just by riding a board in through the surf on their stomachs.”

Andy Joyce, of Bournemouth Surf Academy agrees: “Project Surfable will make a real difference to the lives of many disabled and disadvantaged young people. For many of these, a trip to Devon or Cornwall would not be possible and Surf Relief’s national network provides opportunities much closer to home and for a greatly reduced cost.”

Network Surf Schools

The network currently includes six surf schools, below. These will become specialist centres able to cater for the tuition of the disabilities selected. The number and coverage of surf schools involved in the network will expand as the charity grows. All schools adhere to guidelines required by the British Surfing Associations Registered Schools scheme. Project Surfable will subsidise £20 and the surf schools will subsidise £40 of each lesson.

* {encode=”[email protected]” title=”Big Blue Surf School”} – Bude, North Cornwall
* {encode=”[email protected]” title=”National Surfing Centre”} – Newquay, West Cornwall
* {encode=”[email protected]” title=”Nick Thorn’s Surf School”} – Woolacombe, North Devon
* {encode=”[email protected]” title=”Discovery Surf School”} – Bigbury Bay, South Devon
* {encode=”[email protected]” title=”Bournemouth Surf School”} – Bournemouth
* {encode=”[email protected]” title=”Joss Bay Surf School”} – Joss Bay, Kent