March, 2021, LONDON: London-based PR firm Curzon PR has been briefed to lead a media relations campaign for The Wave Project, the world’s first ‘surf therapy’ charity running surfing courses, funded by a government health service, to drive awareness of its work and mission. The PR firm will work closely with founder Joe Taylor and the Wave Project team to highlight the services that the charity offers, to new surfers, volunteers and donors.
The Wave Project aims to improve the wellbeing and confidence of vulnerable young people through surf therapy. It offers a dedicated six-week course of one-to-one surfing support to young people aged 8 to 21 who face mental health issues because of social exclusion, family problems, disability or traumatic experiences.
Founded in 2010, the charity has expanded from Cornwall across the South West of England to North Yorkshire, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and London over the years. The service is evidence-based and has been evaluated under peer review, and in 2018 The Wave Project became the first charity in the world to offer ‘surfing on prescription’, via the NHS.
Speaking about the organisation’s mission, The Wave Project Founder & CEO Joe Taylor says, “The charity’s mission from the start has been to enable young people struggling to prove to themselves that ‘I can do it’. Since then, we’re proud to have supported 5,000 young people through our surf therapy projects, and know that our services provide a critical role in helping these young people become more confident, better able to make new friends, and make their own decisions.
“We’re excited about expanding the scope of our services to reach more vulnerable young people, and will work closely with Curzon PR to grow our presence across the UK. We liked Curzon PR’s expertise in strategic media relations and storytelling, and are looking forward to working with them to raise awareness of our services.”
Curzon PR founder Farzana Baduel said, “COVID-19 has rightly normalised the conversation around mental health and we are delighted to be working with The Wave Project on such an important matter.”
