A long-standing volunteer and surf coach with The Wave Project Scotland – the branch based outside Dunbar at Belhaven in East Lothian — who is turning 60 this year, wants to celebrate by raising a lot of money for the charity to which he dedicates so much of his time.
Beginning on the 16th July, Steve Spencer started solo cycling from Bristol, in a two-week period, to all 16 Wave Project locations in the UK, and volunteering at each location.
Steve’s big journey is titled Wheels, Waves and Stories as at every place he visits, he wants to share a story of the kids that are on their Wave Project journey, too.
Steve is pedalling over 1000 miles – equivalent in climb to scaling Everest and a few Munros — and then throwing on a wetsuit and volunteering at each project. He has already been knocked off his bike and spent a lot of time in wind and rain.
Steve arrives in Dunbar, East Lothian, Saturday 2nd August, will then be at Edinburgh’s Lost Shore on Sunday 3rd before finishing up in St Andrews on Monday 4th August.
At each venue, Wave Project Scotland families, fellow volunteers, Project Leaders and young people who have been helped by the Wave Project will gathering to greet Steve, show their gratitude, and celebrate his dedication and success.
The Wave Project is a UK-wide Surf Therapy charity which uses surfing and the power of its communities to help boost the mental health and wellbeing of young people.
Surfers are referred from a host of organisations and join the Project for a 6-week course of surf therapy. During this time, in addition to learning to surf, young surfers are paired 1:1 with a volunteer surf mentor.
It is this evolving, trusting relationship over the weeks that allows The Wave Project to make huge changes in the lives of these young people.
Thanks to a massive team of volunteers up and down the country, the young surfers have fun in a positive, child-led and happy environment that allows them to forget, for a while, the challenges they are facing.
