In 2021, we – Ben, Tom, Kat, Andy and Jimmy – collaborated to bring a holistic pilot scheme to Gibraltar: in conjunction with the local Department of Education and The Care Agency, we invited minor service users of The Care Agency to attend our sessions of SUP, trauma sensitive yoga and rock climbing. The Gibraltar Broadcasting Cooperation (GBC) kindly helped to fund the summer pilot in the framework of its annual open day.
In 2022, we were granted additional funding from the The Duke of Edinburgh Cup to be used for professional development training supplied by Surfability UK. The community interest company Surfability UK is teaching adaptable surfing for individuals with disabilities, injuries and learning difficulties and is recognised European leader in its field. Upon completion of our training with Surfability UK, we piloted another SUP scheme. This time, we were able to offer sessions to a broader variety of people. They included service users of our implementing partners The Care Agency, The Gibraltar Health Authority, St Bernadette’s, PossAbilities and SNAG as well as private referrals.
By the end of 2022, our sessions had gained so much momentum that we decided to form an official charity.
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We still need better accessibility and some more work to the space. However it’s fully functional and we have worked round some of the obstacles. We have tried to create a sustainable space using recycled materials where we could. Running the centre is off grid as a way of working more sustainably.
As a charity we aim to have a sustainable environmental impact and create community wellness with our participants, staff and volunteers.
Sandy Bay is the hub for most of our sessions. Located on the east side of Gibraltar, Sandy Bay offers a natural cove with calm waters in a protected bay.
The wide sand beach is ideal for sunbathing and relaxing after SUP.
As a charity, we aim to have a sustainable environmental impact, be non-consumptive and create community wellness.
One focus is therefore on what we are presently referring to as “eco adaptive tourism”. Eco adaptive tourism means to both respond to people’s individual needs and focus on the natural environment.
An example: during the pilot phase, we had the pleasure to welcome friends of one of our partially sighted participants. These guests had travelled from the UK to Gibraltar and were visually impaired. On Sandy Bay they took part in a range of activities, including SUP and zip-lining. The feedback from this session was inspiring: we learned that this was one of the few opportunities this group had to enjoy such outdoor activities; the group members emphasised they would be eager to encourage members of their community in the UK to visit during summer, should we be able to put together an adaptive activity program.
With some further research in this area, it has become apparent that there is a growing demographic of people with diverse needs who wish to access the activities that we offer. We are confident that we will soon be in an excellent position to cater for more and more of those diverse needs. As a long-term goal we plan to create an adaptive water sports center in Gibraltar.
Your generosity would not only make a huge difference but make it possible for us to create memorable adventures for the people who would not otherwise be able to access these sports.
Donations will be available soon. Please check back later.
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