Free surfing event in Devon - end of half term

[saintlyjimjams]

At Bigbury on Sea, South Devon

Run by Discovery Surf School

We are very pleased to announce our FREE event for autistic and disabled children is going to happen on Sunday the 30th of October from 10.30. All equipment will be provided and each child will receive a free one to one 45 minute lesson with our experienced coaches. Call/e-mail us for more details and to book your child's place. Email [email protected]

That's cut and pasted by the way - I don't work for Discovery

I do highly recommend them though. Their Facebook page has quite a few photos from other sessions with autistic and learning disabled kids and DS1 (12, severely autistic, severe LD's) surfs with them regularly - pretty much weekly at the moment.

I know I keep posting this but there's a video of DS1 with them here vimeo.com/28348727 to give a bit of an idea.

They really are a great bunch. You don't need a wetsuit or anything - it's all provided.

That looks awesome :) - I want to go. I remember the photos of your ds1 the first time he went, lovely that he is still enjoying it.

Oh really peggy? 4 years ago? He started going more regularly last autumn and is now there all the time. He asks to go surfing rather than to school
It's been great, something I would never have predicted (or tried with him) Every other activity last minutes before he flits off to something else so I still get a buzz from seeing him out there for an hour or so at a time (and he usually refuses to come in, and wants to go on my board after the session- yep we've had to start surfing as well - something else I didn't predict!).

Yep - I'm a long timer here (my dd is now 7) - just name change from time to time :).

It is brilliant when you find something that they enjoy isn't it? My dd goes riding with the RDA now and loves it. Despite not being able to sit unsupported for any amount of time she manages 20 mins on the back of a pony, which is pretty damn amazing. I would never have guessed that she would so so well :).

I'm envious of you being able to surf. Damn being so land locked!

There are some photos on my photoblog as well

www.photoblog.com/interaction/2011/06/19/surfing.html

I need to update it to include some more recent ones, but I'm a bit gutted because I lost a bunch when my hard drive died. Hmm might add some now.

I updated. Some recent ones, taken a couple of weeks apart - very different conditions

www.photoblog.com/interaction/2011/10/17/

Ah peggy missed your post. That's great news about the pony. DS1 has started RDI at school which seems to work quite well. He manages about 10/15 minutes I think. The trouble is he always wants the horse to keep moving and they are not allowed to stop. Ever

One day - come and try surfing. I'm putting together a not for profit to encourage surfing for those with disabilities - just because it has made such a difference to ds1.

RDI? Agh another thread on my head - RDA I mean!

Brilliant photos. That's quite a swell.

Keep us posted on the surfing, I'd love us to try it plus if there's anything that we can do to help support the surfing let us know.

Will do - thanks peggy. At the moment I'm just trying to put together the website. It will be mainly information initially, but I hope to start applying for funding once it's there and in place, so if you can think of anywhere that might provide some funds- especially for regular surfing please let me know.

There's some pretty big waves forecast for this weekend. Ds1 will be happy - he loves it when it's big.

Sadly a bit hard for us to go to this (we're in London) but we were near Bigbury for a week over the summer (staying in South Pool). It's a beautiful part of Devon, lucky you

We were thinking of possibly going there again next summer, some friends have a house in Kingsbridge. Would the surfing be suitable for a 5yo?

Oh and a 5yo who can't swim

Yes - if you have 1:1, so a coach each :) For ds1's birthday this year he had a surf session along with his non-swimming/badly swimming younger brothers. They had a coach each and it worked well. Ds3 is 6 - some photos (sorry!) here:

www.photoblog.com/interaction/2011/05/15/birthday-surf.html

There's usually a free half hour session run early or late summer by Lifeworks and Discovery (Lifeworks work with kids and young adults with learning disabilities). I'll post details on here once they're known.

We used to live in London btw bialy :)

Can't make it this sunday but I think this is something that ds will love. Am trying to see when in March or April we can go.

Btw, how cold does it get?

Not this Sunday, next Sunday 30th (ds1 is going this Sunday but he goes most weeks).

The sea is still pretty warm at the moment. I'm still in my summer suit (and boiling) although I've put ds1 in one of the surf school's spring suits the last couple of times he's been out and as soon as i get paid i'll buy him a winter suit (and me). The sea is coldest in about March I guess - although with awarm day you might not notice that. But with a decent winter wetsuit you stay warm (although in depths of winter you probably need hood, gloves and boots which could be an issue for some kids - and was for ds1 last year although I think he's so keen he'll get over that this year).

Oh and I should have said tryingto late spring/ early summer or autumn are good times to go because the beach is a lot quieter than in the summer.

Oh I keep thinking of more stuff. The surf school do have winter suits as well - it's just that ds1 goes so much that I want to get him his own.

That looks fab :) You must be nearish to me. We love Bigbury.

Come along BobLoblaw (and if you are often at Bigbury I apologise profusely in advance if ds1 climbs into your car and fiddles with your sun visors or sun roof )

Oooh, might be able to make it next Sunday. Will try to persuade dh that it is worth a 2.5 hour drive each way.

It really looks so good that I have been checking out the places to stay near there in preparation for next year.

Oh definitely worth the drive . Do email or ring them to book a place though as I know the spaces are limited - there are plenty of spaces now, but I have been telling everyone (when they do the big Breaking the Barrier event they have a lot of help and extra boards from Lifeworks - they're a bit more limited numbers wise this time as they're doing it all themselves and I know some of the coaches are back at uni etc etc).

Small bump - although I haven't checked whether there are still spaces and the waves are looking as if they may be pretty big this weekend (ds1 will be thrilled - he loves big waves).

SJJ I know you probably feel like you owe the surfing lot loads already, but would they consider a sponsored surfing event in order to raise money half for next years event and half for a voice thingy for your ds?

YOu could offer to do a lot of the admin/cake baking whatever?

Would that work or am I way way off (sorry if I am)?!

Oh no I couldn't ask them. We are waiting to be turned down by the local authority (although I am considering trying to get it as an educational need on advice...) if turned down I'm going to fundraise by writing to big companies etc - and trying to team up with a charidee. DH and I have agreed we're not comfortable fundraising locally amongst people we know if that makes sense.

I could do a sponsored surf myself though! Ooooh :plots:

A sponsored paddle would kill me