The Wave Project, the leading UK charity using Surf Therapy to support children and young people, is set to participate for the third consecutive year in the Big Give’s Christmas Challenge. The charity has set an ambitious fundraising target of £100,000 to expand its vital services across the UK.
From the 3rd– 10th December 2024, The Wave Project aims to raise £50,000 in donations, which will be matched pound-for-pound by the Big Give. This funding will enable the charity to extend its reach to even more children across its 16 locations, from Newquay to Edinburgh and Bristol to Portrush. More children than ever are struggling with their mental health and wellbeing. The demand for mental health services has increased dramatically in recent years. The Wave Project uses Surf Therapy to support children as young as eight who have faced significant life challenges, including bullying, bereavement, abuse, neglect and discrimination. The programme has proven effective in boosting confidence, resilience and self-esteem among participants.
The campaign kicks off on the 3rd of December, which is also Giving Tuesday, providing an excellent opportunity for supporters to maximise their impact. A contribution of £35 could provide a wetsuit for a child to participate in The Wave Project’s programmes, while £83 could fund a single Surf Therapy session. For those able to give more, £600 could support a child through an entire 6-week Surf Therapy course. Normally, these services would cost twice as much, but with the Big Give Christmas Challenge, your donation goes much further. Ramon Van de Velde, Chief Executive Officer at The Wave Project, said: “We are currently supporting over 2,100 children and young people annually, but our goal is to increase this to 2,500 in the coming year. It has been a challenging time for most charities due to the cost-of-living crisis and current fundraising climate and we are no exception. People’s generosity to help us improve young lives is more needed now than ever and this Christmas Challenge is our opportunity to make a significant impact for those who need it most.”
To get involved, visit Waveproject.co.uk and donate from the 3rd of December 2024. All donations made to The Wave Project will be doubled. This means that every contribution, regardless of size, will have twice the impact on the lives of young people struggling with their mental heath.
A new series of ocean and wildlife lovers starts tonight on Netflix. “Our Oceans narrated by Barack Obama is a five part series.
“Our planet’s five oceans are driven by a single, all-powerful engine: the “Global Ocean Current”, a thousand-year phenomenon that links their diverse ecosystems into one giant lifeforce, fuelling existence as we know it. From the tiny, tenacious cuttlefish to the gracefully enormous blue whale, every ocean-dwell- ing creature relies on that current to provide the resources they require to survive. A lonely puffin awaiting his mate in the North Atlantic is linked to the bioluminescent spectaculars off Southern California; bottle- nose dolphins in the Indian Ocean frolic in the same waters as polar bear cubs in the Arctic. As the current flows past clownfish circling colourful coral reefs in the Western Pacific to the frigid Antarctic ice floes of chinstrap penguins and crab eater seals, it carries with it valuable nutrients, newborn life, man-made dangers, and hope for the future.
Narrated by President Barack Obama, this five-part documentary from Freeborne Media — the Emmy Award-winning team behind Our Great National Parks — takes viewers on a 75,000-mile cruise across and beneath the oceans as they are today, giving us unprecedented access to some of the most unexplored realms of our planet. Using cutting-edge scientific research and newly-developed underwater filmmaking technology, the series overflows with stunning action sequences, eye-popping drone footage, intimate seabed closeups, and countless never-before-seen animal behaviors: Sea bream playing tennis? Hump- back whales staging heists? An octopus packing heat? It’s a literal deep dive into the emotional, relatable lives of the most magical, resourceful, and resilient creatures on Earth, as they face new challenges and develop astounding skills made necessary by the changing waters around them. Our Oceans invites us to care about these plucky heroes, with whom we’ve got a surprising amount in common — and not a moment too soon, as their fates are inextricably linked with our own.
EPISODE 1: PACIFIC OCEAN
Covering almost a third of our planet, the Pacific is the largest and deepest ocean on earth, and the Global Ocean Current brings it to life. Underwater volcanoes deposit stones on a coral reef where clownfish dads fastidiously clean their eggs before the current flows to Japan, where cuttlefish change color to impress the ladies. Hump- back whales in the Pacific Northwest take advantage of man-made salmon fisher- ies to stage elaborate dinner heists, while forests of giant kelp protect the redwood trees on the shores high above. As pods of spinner dolphins pirouette above the waves of the Central Pacific, the Gulf of California plays host to a ballroom of signal blennies staging an epic dance-off; meanwhile, sharks are having a meetup of their own, magnetically drawn to underwater mountains that erupt to form new para- dise islands. From sea turtles surfing alongside tourists to sea lions chasing tuna right out of the sea, the powerful volcanic force of the Pacific fuels a cast of extraordinary creatures, all of whom must learn to adapt to its powerful and unpredictable energy
With strengths and availability rising, doctors and hospitals are reporting they are seeing a lot more cases of mental health problems they say are related to weed use. Tom Luddington was one, but he overcame it here’s how.
There is a lot going on in the world right now and a lot of people are stressed, both young and old. You see a lot in the press about ‘Blue Health’ and people being taken surfing to help relieve stress, but what if you are a stressed surfer? Well, luckily friend of Carve, Katy Griffin, is fully qualified in such matters
Kye Wilkinson was surfing Emerald Beach with crew, when an estimated to be 15-foot, great white shark shunted his board and continued to range the line-up.
The 2024 Rip Curl GromSearch International, covered by Sun Bum, wrapped up in Bali today with incredible waves and hifi performances at Pererenan Beach, solidifying its reputation as the premier event for young surfing talent around the globe. The event saw the UK’s Lukas Skinner successfully defend his title in the 16 & Under Boys division, while the USA’s Eden Walla claimed victory in the 16 & Under Girls.
Lukas Skinner’s journey to the final was nothing short of extraordinary. Along the way, he scored a perfect 10, showcasing his exceptional skill with a flawless alley-oop into a carve, finishing with a clean air reverse. In the nail-biting final, Lukas faced off against Spain’s Dylan Donegan, pushing the limits of competitive surfing. Lukas was trailing for most of the final, but caught one of the biggest waves of the day at the end, launching a huge straight air to seal the deal with a 9.33.
“Man, it means the world to me,” said Lukas. “Dylan had me on the ropes. We both got two eights, and he scored higher on both, but I knew I had to go big on my next chance. I’ve been struggling to beat Dylan all year—he pushes me so much—and I’m stoked to finally get him.”
In the 16 & Under Girls division, American Eden Walla emerged victorious, overcoming an in-form Ziggy Mackenzie from Australia in the final. Eden’s composed performance in the high-pressure format was a testament to her poise and talent. “I think my dad was more nervous than me, but the man-on-man format is nerve-racking,” said Eden. “It was such a cool experience surfing in this CT format, and I’m so happy with the win.”
Another highlight included surf legends Steph Gilmore, Molly Picklum and Rosy Hodge taking over commentary on the live webcast for the day. The trio had plenty to talk about, including Spain’s Carla Morera placing equal third in the girls division at just 13 years old, and Aussie Ben Zanatta Creagh throwing elite rail surfing all day, to make it to the boy’s semi finals.
The Rip Curl GromSearch International is more than just a competition; it is a launching pad for future professional surfing stars. Two-thirds of current Championship Tour (CT) surfers are former GromSearch competitors, underscoring the event’s significance in shaping the careers of some of the most successful surfers of all time.
