THE Prime Minister has praised the “great leadership and compassion”
of a North Devon couple who help teens to conquer their demons by taking
them surfing.
Wave Project coordinators Helen and Joel Blackman, from
West Down, have been named Points of Light by David Cameron for changing
youngsters’ lives by showing them the thrill of riding waves.
The pair’s dedication helps teenagers and children overcome emotional
problems during a course designed to develop confidence and life
skills.
When they heard about the Wave Project, keen surfers Helen
and Joel jumped at the chance to demonstrate the virtues of the sport.
They run two six-week programmes at Croyde Bay in April and September.
Everyone who takes part is given a mentor from a pool of 25
volunteers from the local surfing community who offer intensive
one-to-one support.
Those who have completed the course report feeling more motivated, confident and resilient.
Charlotte Drayton is the mother of Bradley Drayton, one of the young people who has benefited from the project.
She
said her family was “incredibly grateful” to Helen, Joel and everyone
at the Wave Project for the positive impact the experience had on her
son’s life.
“We thank you for giving him the opportunity to be part of such an inspiring, motivated and friendly team,” she said.
“His
time spent on the course boosted his confidence, brought a smile to his
face and gave him hope and belief and that is priceless.”
According to Helen, the sea can be a place to heal, escape and make new friends.
She
said: “Over the past two years we’ve met some amazing young people and
it’s been incredibly rewarding to see them blossom and gain confidence
in and out of the water.
“Personally I find there’s no better remedy than the freedom, escape and adventure that the sea offers.
“It’s a really simple concept – we take them surfing, encourage them lots, we listen to them and have loads of fun.
“Some of the young people we work with don’t normally have
access to the beach, so we’re really excited to be able to provide this
service and support.”
Prime
minister David Cameron praised Helen and Joel’s “great leadership and
compassion” in bringing together Croyde’s surfing community to support
young people recovering from emotional upheavals
