South Shields surfing group’s fundraising appeal to run disability-friendly adaptive surf sessions

This year South Shields Surf school is running adaptive surf sessions to get people with disabilities into the water to enjoy the fun and the numerous mental and physical benefits of being in the sea and catching waves.

As a community interest company (CIC), it aims to deliver adaptable sessions to anyone interested in surfing and do what they can to make it available to all.

These are done in-house or working with other community members and organisations like St Oswald’s Hospice and Beach Access North East.

The surf school has all the equipment required, but need to cover the costs of staff and volunteers to run the sessions on a weekly basis from May to October and is appealing to anyone who can help.

Last year it worked with St Oswald's and the head coach of English adaptive surfing to develop sessions for people with physical disabilities.

Nick Jones who runs the surf school said: “In a collaborative effort with Beach Access North East and Peacocks Medical Group, we have had an adaptive surfboard made to help deliver these sessions for this year. This board will be a wonderful addition to our equipment and will support us in making our sport as accessible as possible.”

South Shields Surf school is hoping to offer 22 sessions throughout this year. Out of these sessions, the school is looking to offer six sessions to the young people and children at St Oswald’s Hospice who the organisation developed its adaptive surf sessions with.

Nick added: “We also want to provide six sessions to Beach Access North East who are an amazing charity who provide beach access wheel chairs for free. We have worked with Beach Access North East closely in the last few years and they have been instrumental in making the adaptive surfing happen. We then would like to offer the remaining 10 sessions to the public and getting as many people as we can into the water.”

Anyone who would like to donate to the cause can do so online.

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