The Wave Project Raises Funds for Life-Changing Surf Therapy During Mental Health Awareness Week

This month, from 13^th – 19^th of May 2024, The Wave Project is participating in the Big Give's Kind2Mind match-funding campaign to raise £20,000 for its surf therapy programmes that support children and young people struggling with mental health challenges.

Mental health concerns are on the rise among young people in the UK. 1 in 5 children experience social, emotional, or mental health difficulties, and rates of teenage suicide and eating disorders have seen alarming increases in recent years.

This year's Mental Health Awareness Week theme is "Connect with Nature" - a fitting focus for The Wave Project, which helps children and young people aged 8-18 improve their wellbeing through the transformative power of surfing and connecting with the ocean.

To mark this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week, The Wave Project is taking part in the match-funding Kind2Mind campaign, organised by the Big Give. The charity is aiming to raise a total of £20,000 which will help support 20 children and young people across the UK struggling with their mental health through participation in their award-winning programmes.

From the 14^th to 21^st of May 2024, all donations to The Wave Project's Kind2Mind campaign will be matched up to £10,000, enabling the charity to reach double the number of young people in need.

Ramon Van de Velde, Chief Executive Officer at The Wave Project said: "Our team and volunteers see first-hand what a difference surf therapy can make. The children who take part in our evidence-based programmes demonstrate significantly increased confidence, resilience and self-esteem, as well as a more positive outlook on life. The current cost-of-living crisis only adds to the challenges young people face, so these life-changing interventions are needed now more than ever."

"We are delighted to be part of the Kind2Mind campaign and appeal to the public this Mental Health Awareness Week. Donations of any size can be doubled and they will ensure The Wave Project continues to have such a positive impact on the lives of thousands of children and young people across the UK."
 
To support The Wave Project's vital work, visit The Wave Project’s Kind2Mind campaign page between the 14^th and the 21^st of May to donate. 
 
#TogetherInMind #Kind2Mind 

ENDS
 
 
Notes to Editors:
 
About The Wave Project
 
Founded in 2010, The Wave Project offers the world's first surf therapy course funded by a government health service. Based in Cornwall, the charity has expanded across the southwest of England to North Yorkshire, Scotland, Northern Ireland and London, and now includes 33 staff and over 1,500 trained volunteer surf mentors, with over 10,000 young people having accessed The Wave Project surf therapy courses to date. 
 
As an evidence-based intervention, surf therapy is recognised by the NHS, local authorities and psychiatric services as an effective tool in improving the well-being, outlook, self-esteem and confidence of children and young people.
 
Together, great things can happen.

Visit The Wave Project website – www.waveproject.co.uk
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#TheWaveProject
Fact 1 – 2,035 children and young people were supported by The Wave Project in 2022
Fact 2 – 644 took part in surf therapy courses, and 1,778 trained volunteers supported children and young adults through surf therapy, surf club and adaptive sessions.
 
About Kind2Mind
The Kind2Mind campaign has been organized by Big Give, the UK’s biggest online match funding platform. Big Give has raised over £236m for thousands of charities since 2007. All public donations made to The Wave Project and other participating charities via BigGive.org during the campaign week (14^th – 21^st May) will be matched up to a specific amount. By bringing charities together in a larger campaign tied into UK Mental Health Awareness Week, the Big Give hope to raise money for charities supporting people affected by poor mental health.