After a competitive application process, surf therapy charity The Wave Project has been selected to take part in the Big Give’s Christmas Challenge aiming to raise £44,000 in just 1 week – and they need your help.
These funds will be used to support their life-changing surf therapy work with children and young people who have been diagnosed with mental health challenges or are deemed at risk.
The project over here on the Island has been running since 2015 when it was launched with a pilot scheme. The project now runs fully funded surf-therapy courses for 60 Island children each year.
Donations to The Wave Project will be generously matched by The Big Give’s Champions during the campaign, meaning public donations can support twice as many children and young people. This year The Wave Project are looking to raise a total of £88,000. In order to access the £44,000 they have in the matching pot, £44,000 needs to be raised in online donations.
Abbie James, Project Coordinator, Isle of Wight said:
“We are delighted to have been chosen to be part of the Big Give Challenge. We are appealing to the public to give generously this year to help us reach our target to ensure that we can increase the number of children we will be able to help in the coming year. The cost of living crisis has already caused an increase in children being diagnosed with depression and anxiety and those self-harming and this is before the crisis has really taken hold.
“Donations of any size can be doubled and will ensure that we can really turnaround the lives of children as young as 8. I see first-hand what a difference surf therapy can make to the children who leave our programmes with increased confidence, resilience, self-esteem and a positive outlook. I would urge anyone who has ever thought about supporting us to help us with this campaign.”
Visit Changing children’s lives through surf therapy (thebiggive.org.uk) and make a donation. The campaign will close at 12:00 on Tuesday 6th December.
