Real people.True stories.

You have no idea how happy I am about the surfing. Even though we had quite a bit of grumbling and moaning from the teenagers. Otherwise, he would have spent the whole holiday lying on his bed. Even though he finds surfing really difficult, he still managed to spend nearly three hours outdoors every time. They’ve also had fun together again. She likes to do things perfectly first time round, and that’s not possible with surfing. So it was all the more fun when she proudly told me last time that she’d caught a wave no fewer than ten times!

She really enjoys surfing, but she also loves the fact that she blends in with the group and nobody knows that she gets her surfing pass for free. The fact that she’s a ‘normal’ member of the group is very important to her.

Surfing gives me a sense of freedom, as if I could do it anywhere in the world. I’d definitely recommend it to others. Even though it’s difficult at first, once you get the hang of it, it’s really cool.

The surfing is going really well! It’s lovely to see how proud Joris is that he’s managed to get onto the board and stay standing during the last few lessons.

At first, she wasn’t sure whether she wanted to carry on. With higher waves and a stronger current, she found it really nerve-wracking. But she persevered and is managing to stand up more and more often. She met another girl whilst surfing and has already arranged to meet up with her.

It’s having such a positive impact on this group of young people. They all wear the jumper they were given with pride at school and really make the most of it. They’ve really become a group of friends. One of the lads used to have nothing but school and work, but now he’s found a sense of belonging and friendship with the others!

I thought the lesson was brilliant. I learnt a lot in just two hours. I’m really looking forward to it!

Julius went for the first time today and is really excited. It’s lovely to see him so happy again! He stepped off the board with a BIG smile after the trial lesson. As a mum, it’s fantastic to see him getting this opportunity.