Big laughs and waves for a great cause at Lost Shore
Last week, comedian Shaparak Khorsandi swapped the stage for a wetsuit as she joined our young surfers in at Lost Shore Surf Resort to help launch the Sport Relief Big Swim, and we’re still smiling!
Taking a break from her show at the Edinburgh Fringe, Shaparak and her daughter visited one of our Surf Therapy sessions to see how the waves and our incredible volunteers are helping young people improve their mental health and wellbeing.
With support from Comic Relief, we run Surf Therapy sessions in 17 locations across the UK. Here in Edinburgh, as well as in Dunbar and St Andrews, we’re proud to offer young people a safe space to be themselves, connect with others and find joy and freedom in the water.
“What an absolute blast it has been to join such an incredible group of people for a surf session with such an important purpose,” said Shaparak. “I’m a huge advocate for supporting mental health projects and seeing firsthand how sport and being outdoors is helping young people here has been really inspiring.”
The visit comes as Comic Relief encourages people across the UK to dive into the Big Swim this September – taking on a 5km, 10km or 15km swim challenge while raising vital funds to support charities like The Wave Project. The campaign will fund projects that improve young people’s self-esteem, build resilience and support mental wellbeing through sport.
With 1 in 5 young people now experiencing a diagnosable mental health challenge, early interventions like Surf Therapy have never been more important. Thanks to funders such as Comic Relief, we’re able to create a space where young people build confidence, make friends and feel part of a supportive community, all through the power of the sea and other blue spaces.