A Welsh surf school is making a significant impact by changing lives through adaptive and inclusive surfing lessons. Ben Clifford, the founder of Surfability UK, was awarded the TSB Community Partner Pride of Britain Award in 2019 for his outstanding work in the community. Surfability UK, based in Caswell Bay on the Gower, offers surfing lessons tailored to individuals with additional needs, providing accessible changing rooms and a variety of equipment to make surfing enjoyable for everyone.
By adapting surfing lessons through specialized equipment and coaching, Surfability ensures that individuals of all abilities can participate in the sport. Winning the Pride of Britain award brought increased visibility to the surf school, allowing them to reach more people who may have never considered surfing as an option. Ben Clifford expressed his gratitude for the recognition, stating, “Our aim is to help our community, and it’s lovely to know that we are doing that well and getting the recognition for it.”
Reflecting on the awards ceremony, Ben shared, “It was an amazing experience. Myself and a couple of the team got to swap our wetsuits for smart suits and go up to London for the awards. It was a lovely event, and it was amazing to be nominated and to win it.” The exposure from the award resulted in an increase in participants, enabling Surfability to support more individuals who were previously unable to surf.
Ben highlighted the importance of organisations and charities receiving support to continue their valuable work. He encouraged community and charity organizations to apply for grants like the Pride of Britain Fund, emphasising the significance of additional support for the third sector. The fund, celebrating its 25th anniversary, is offering £100,000 to local heroes across the country, with grants ranging from £500 to £2,500 available for worthy causes.
To apply for the Pride of Britain Fund, individuals can complete an online form to nominate deserving community groups or charities. The final decision on funding recipients will be determined by local communities, allowing communities to have a say in who receives the support. The fund aims to empower local heroes and organizations to continue making a positive impact in their communities.