We're still collecting donations
On the 4th November 2023 we'd raised £1,610 with 48 supporters in 28 days. But as every pound matters, we're continuing to collect donations from supporters.
To close the financial gap between what has been raised through funding and the ongoing cost of delivering our successful programmes.
by Rebecca Kirby in Cockburnspath, Scottish Borders, United Kingdom
On the 4th November 2023 we'd raised £1,610 with 48 supporters in 28 days. But as every pound matters, we're continuing to collect donations from supporters.
If we exceed our target we would be able to look at offering more funded places for group surf therapy or 1:1 surf therapy sessions for those in financial need. We could also direct any extra funding to facilitating more community based sessions - we hope to start offering 1 day workshops or surf retreats.
At Groundswell Scotland we have had a very successful year running Surf Therapy programmes, Sand Circles, Surf Clubs, community Surf Bliss sessions, our annual Surf Festival, our new Silver Surf Sisters group and we held our first LGBTQ+ session at the start of the month.
We've had big waves, tiny waves, perfect waves, flat days, windy days, dolphins, seals, rainbows and always a wonderful group of women who support each other as well as being supported by our team of trauma informed facilitators, surf coaches and volunteer surf sisters.
All of our community sessions are attended by donation and are designed to build skills and community to support and fund Groundswell Scotland trauma recovery programmes. When women come to a surf therapy programme it is a fully funded place and if women need financial help to attend any of our community sessions we like to be able to offer that when we can.
Sally Harris (our founder and director) has successfully secured lots of funding to run Groundswell Scotland since 2018. This year we just need a little bit of help to close the gap where the funding and donations haven't stretched to cover some of our costs.
Check out our website for more information about what we do:
What we would be spending the money on?
- Facilitator, surf coach and beach lifeguard training
As a team we need to make sure our Surf Life Saving (SLSGB) certificates are renewed each year and that our skill sets are continually being developed to ensure we can continue to deliver excellent sessions. This means we need to commit to regular refresher sessions on first aid, board rescues and keep our swim fitness to a high level.
We have a great team of volunteers and would like to be able to offer them more opportunities to become facilitators/lifeguards/surf coaches. As with everything this involves a cost and wouldn't it be great if Groundswell Scotland could fund or at least part fund this training for them to say thank you for everything they give to our community?
- Equipment
The more sessions we deliver the more our kit gets used and inevitably wear and tear means each year we need to replace items. For example this year we need to buy some new wetsuits, 6 pairs of wetsuit gloves and there will always be times when a zip breaks or other repairs are required.
It would be great to have some extra money to help maintain our surfboards as they get a lot of use. We have 8 (and we need 8 as each session has 8 participants) so if one was to get damaged it would need to be replaced straight away.
- Maintenance at our HQ caravan at Pease Bay
We have just discovered our boiler in the caravan has a leak and even if it can be fixed in the short term we will need to start saving to be able to replace it in the future.
The list could go on and on so we will be very grateful for any and all donations no matter how big or how small.
Waves of love from the Groundswell Scotland team
Take a look at our Instagram page
(Photo of the beautiful surfboard necklace donated by our very talented surf sister Caroline for our prize draw on the 5th November)
This project offered rewards