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Surf Relief, one of the UK’s leading surfing charities, is launching Project Surfable through a network of surf schools across England
by George Mojo
02/07/2008:// The full plans of the scheme are being unveiled at Watergate Bay, near Newquay.
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.
This is the first time such opportunities have been provided in large numbers and in so many locations in the UK. For most disabled young people, the idea of undertaking an extreme sport such as surfing is a just a dream, one that only able bodied people usually take part in.
Following the blueprint of similar, successful schemes in America, the charity’s aim is to break down these assumptions, allowing children who face daily physical and learning challenges the chance to experience such a therapeutic sport.
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 and young people have the opportunity to sign up for a free lesson from the network’s instructors (participants must book in advance via Lis Leader lisleader@lifeworks-uk.org and make their own travel arrangements).
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."
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