Combat Surfers
Written by Rich Emerson
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Our core purpose is to focus on the well being and support of combat veterans and their families.
Surf Action are a registered Charity whose core purpose is to focus on the well being and support of combat veterans and their families. We use surfing and the beach environment as a means to escape the daily barriers faced by those who have returned from conflict possibly suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or physical injuries. Since our registration as a Community Interest Company in Sept 2009 we have held a number of successful events with veterans suffering from PTSD. Many have served in past conflicts such as Northern Ireland, Falklands and Iraq. We work very closely with the families and hold family surfing days that bring everyone people together and put smiles on faces. Our most recent events have seen members of Hasler Company, (the rehabilitation unit of the Royal Marines , attached to HMS Drake based in Plymouth), and members of 1 Rifles based at Chepstow, come surfing with us at Polzeath and St Ives in Cornwall. We have taken members of 1 Royal Horse Artillery, 29 Commando, RNAS and the SAS surfing. All our events were hugely successful, and most surfed for the first time. These events have attracted coverage throughout the national press and global media. Essentially we are not a surf school, we are a group of qualified surfing instructors who comprise of vocational teachers, former Royal Marines, British Army and sports coaches with a variety of skills who recognised the benefits of surfing and have the ability through experience to signpost people to organisations that could provide the therapy needed to look forward not back. |
