The leading UK Surf Therapy charity, The Wave Project, is delighted to announce it has been awarded £100,000 by Comic Relief to support its award winning programmes for children and young people.
The funding, delivered over two years, will help cover some of the charity’s core costs, including staff and volunteer training, programme delivery and safeguarding, enabling The Wave Project to continue its life-changing work across 17 locations in the UK.
As mental health challenges among children and young people continue to rise, and access to support remains limited, this award comes as a vital lifeline for some of the UK’s most vulnerable young people.
Ramon Van de Velde, Chief Executive Officer at The Wave Project comments: “We are incredibly grateful to Comic Relief for their generous support. Surf Therapy is an early intervention which does so much to improve the mental health and wellbeing of the children and young people who become our Surfers. With 1 in 5 young people now having a diagnosable mental health challenge it is clear that they need charities like The Wave Project. Our charity creates community, friendships, confidence and resilience. Comic Relief do that all over the world. We do that through Surf Therapy and the healing powers of the ocean in the UK. Support for core costs is difficult to obtain, so this grant is so welcome!”
Samir Patel, CEO of Comic Relief, said: “For over 20 years, Comic Relief’s Sport for Change funded projects have been creating safe spaces for people to build friendships and feel supported. With the incredible work they are doing to support children and young people, The Wave Project is a fantastic example of that. We’re delighted to be awarding this funding, especially as Comic Relief marks the return of Sport Relief this summer. We know sport has the power to change lives, and Sport Relief is an opportunity to come together to help raise funds for vital projects – just like the Wave Project – who are doing amazing work to support mental health, combat isolation and help build community.”
The Wave Project works with over 2,500 children and young people each year, referred by schools, CAMHS, GPs, social workers and other professionals. Many face complex challenges including trauma, severe anxiety and social isolation. The charity provides six-week Surf Therapy programmes where participants are paired one-to-one with trained volunteer mentors, helping them to build confidence, resilience and connection.
Surf Therapy is followed by the option to join a longer-term Surf Club, creating a sense of belonging and continued support. Independent evaluations and impact data consistently show significant improvements in wellbeing, confidence, and emotional regulation among participants. But with long waiting lists for traditional services and increasing pressure on families, charities like The Wave Project have never been more essential.
One parent recently shared:
“He desperately needed this boost – he can’t describe his feelings too well, but he says he loved it. This experience has given him confidence and helped him manage his anxiety in a way we never thought possible.”
To help The Wave Project continue their vital work, please consider donating via the link below.
