Finding Inspiration in Surf Therapy’s Unsung Heroes
In a world where success is often measured in numbers and data, it is easy to lose sight of what truely matters. Craig Fearn, a wellbeing expert and advocate for sustainable mental health, found himself caught in this mindset – until a visit in August 2024 to our hub in Bude changed everything. The Surf Therapy session he witnessed was transformative.
Craig Fearn writes about his experience:
“In July, I decided to embark on a journey that would not only challenge me but also help others. I have many complex medical conditions that have impacted my life, leading to a very sedentary lifestyle. I decided it was time to change this – to lose weight and raise money for a good cause simultaneously.
However, two weeks ago, I hit a wall. I was struggling with motivation. I had set a target based on numbers: I wanted to lose x pounds in y time, and if I didn’t achieve that, I felt I had performed sub-optimally. Too often, we distil everything into a numbers game. How much does this cost? What is the right metric for that? How do we quantify this? The list goes on, and we reduce everything to some sort of equation. But it’s not always easy to care about or be inspired by an equation.
We use data to inform our decisions, we rely on algorithms to predict our behaviour, and we spend hours connected to the world through our phones and the internet. Even in my work in workplace wellbeing – a field dedicated to people -we’re not immune to reducing humans to data. If we provide this solution to this many people, it will cost this amount, and then we ask: What’s my return on investment?
But last Wednesday was different. I shut my laptop, took off my glasses, and jumped in my car to Bude.
There, at the end of a car park just before the beach, I discovered a space that I can only describe as Clark Kent’s phone booth. I stood by and watched as ordinary-looking people went in one by one and emerged as fully-fledged members of the superhero club, except they wore wetsuits instead of capes.
These people, from all walks of life and all ages, became the window to a different world for the children they support. They give their time not for algorithms or data points, but for the genuine joy they inspire in those they work with.
The benefits of the sea have long been documented. The numbers are there to prove it, but no book, number, or study could have truly prepared me for the next two hours of my life. Yes, the setting was stunning, and yes, the weather could not have been better, but the only thing beautiful enough for me to care about was the bond between the members of the project and the children for whom they became caped crusaders.
I watched as children who were socially shy chatted, laughed, and joined in the activities. I saw children who feared the ocean standing on surfboards in the water, so sure that their hero would save them if anything went wrong that all their worries disappeared.
I observed The Wave Project crew – always vigilant, always patient, and always inclusive – proving time and time again that there are things in life beyond algorithms, beyond data, and beyond spreadsheets.
Their seamless execution makes it easy to overlook the hard work that goes into making this magic happen. There’s a team of core staff and a project coordinator at Bude, and the people I had the privilege of watching in action deserve nothing short of commendation. They manage everything that needs to be controlled so smoothly that you barely realize it’s happening. Positivity oozes from them, and they are driven by a deep need to ensure that every single child under their care gets the absolute most from the experience.
Behind these amazing individuals is the project coordinator. What a job this is – like being a player-manager in football, a logistics manager, fundraiser, mediator, recruitment agent, agony aunt, and high-level PA all rolled into one. All week, they field calls and inquiries from parents and other stakeholders, manage all the moving parts, and take responsibility for ensuring that on game day, everything comes together perfectly.
They are the rock that everyone leans on, yet they go about their job in such a way that you’d never know just how complicated it is.
Ilene Woods once wrote the famous lyric, “A dream is a wish your heart makes,” and I can honestly say that every child there on that Wednesday had their dream come true.
So, I’m back on track, pounding the pavement with renewed vigor. I now know why I’m doing this – and it’s not for the data, the algorithm, or even for myself. It’s so these superheroes can keep putting on their capes and giving the gift of joy.”