We’ve secured funding to continue free surf lessons
for local children
who need it most.
Cornwall’s children can now access free surf and beach activities thanks to a three-way partnership between Elemental UK, the Cornwall Community Foundation and the Boardmasters Foundation.
Three-way partnership keeps free surf sessions running for children who are eligible for benefits-related free school meals.
More time in the water, for the families who need it most.
We’re thrilled to announce that Elemental Surf Academy has secured funding for our Time 2 Move sessions at Fistral Beach, thanks to the Boardmasters Foundation, Jane Hartley’s AVdB Fund and the Cornwall Community Foundation.
Now in its sixth year of delivery in partnership with Cornwall Council, our free Time 2 Move programme gives children who are eligible for benefits-related free school meals a proper introduction to the ocean, led by qualified surf and beach coaches, fully safeguarded and DBS-compliant. This summer’s programme covers 16 days, with 35 fully funded morning places available each day directly through Time 2 Move. In previous years Time 2 Move funded a full day, 35 places each in the morning and afternoon, but this year’s allocation covers mornings only.
The holiday programme used to run all day long, but with less funding available this year, sessions were cut to half days. That is not a neutral change. A significant number of families travel for the provision, and for working parents a half-day drop-off and return is not a realistic option. For some, it is the difference between their child coming or not coming at all.
That’s why we went looking for partners. We reached out to Robert Spring, Boardmasters Festival Director, who personally got in touch with the Cornwall Community Foundation, leading to an award of £1,200 from the Boardmasters Foundation and £1,200 from Jane Hartley’s AVdB Fund, both of which are managed by the Cornwall Community Foundation.
Elemental UK is matching the grant pound for pound, putting in a minimum of £2,400 of its own funding, so every penny awarded is doubled to fund 10 fully free afternoon places each day, making a total of 160 child sessions across the 16-day programme. And as an additional commitment on top of that match, Elemental UK is also subsidising 25 further afternoon places each day, so the adventure carries on straight after lunch for as many families as possible. We’re offering the same subsidised afternoon option at our Falmouth watersports centre too.
Funding at a glance.
Why we all got behind it.
We’ve run this programme for many years because we believe in it. Cutting it to half days isn’t a neutral change, for some families it’s the difference between their child coming or not coming at all. We’re proud to be keeping the full day open alongside the Boardmasters Foundation and Cornwall Community Foundation.
The families who use this programme are exactly who the Foundation was set up to support, young people in Cornwall who love the ocean but don’t have an easy route into it. Elemental UK has been delivering this brilliantly for six years. When we heard the full day was at risk, supporting this felt straightforward.
What struck me about this programme is how practical the problem was, and how practical the solution is. These are children who want to come, families who are making real efforts to get here, and an organisation that has been showing up for them. It seemed exactly the right thing to do.
One of the things Cornwall Community Foundation can do is spot where different donors and organisations are working towards the same goal and bring them together around it. Jane Hartley’s AVdB Fund, the Boardmasters Foundation and Elemental UK each came to this from a different direction, but the outcome they all wanted was the same.
Two decades rooted in Cornwall.
This year marks 20 years of Elemental UK. From the start, Cornwall has been more than a place we operate: we’ve partnered with social initiatives, schools and community projects across the county, because we truly believe in the communities we’re part of.
Supporting the free afternoon sessions isn’t a one-off. It’s an extension of that work: opening up the ocean to local children, whoever they are and wherever they start from.
Working with children is our DNA.
Elemental Surf Lodge and Academy are part of Elemental UK, a specialist school tour operator. Every season we welcome thousands of students to our centres in Newquay and Falmouth for watersports residentials and bespoke educational trips.
That’s why the standard never slips: every session is led by qualified surf and beach activity coaches, fully safeguarded and DBS-compliant, the same on a Time 2 Move afternoon as on any school residential.
What is Time 2 Move?
Time 2 Move is Cornwall’s holiday activity and food programme, run by Cornwall Council, coordinated by Active Cornwall and funded by the Department for Education. It gives children who are eligible for benefits-related free school meals free access to sport, outdoor activity and a healthy meal during the school holidays, because holidays shouldn’t mean going without.
We’re proud to be an approved provider. Our sessions run from Fistral Beach: surfing, bodyboarding and beach games led by our coaches, with a healthy lunch as part of the day. Booking is free through Playwaze.
Two ways to stay on after lunch.
Free afternoon session
Funded by the Boardmasters Foundation and Jane Hartley’s AVdB Fund via the Cornwall Community Foundation, matched pound for pound by Elemental UK. Select the free afternoon add-on when registering on Playwaze. These places will go fast, so book early.
Subsidised afternoon session
Missed a free place? As an extra commitment on top of our match funding, Elemental UK is subsidising 25 afternoon sessions each day so as many eligible families as possible can get on the water. The same subsidised option is also available at our Falmouth watersports centre. Select the subsidised afternoon add-on when registering on Playwaze.
Made possible by.
Managed by Cornwall Community Foundation
Our Time 2 Move holiday sessions are delivered as an approved provider of Cornwall’s Holiday Activity & Food Programme, coordinated by Active Cornwall and Cornwall Council and funded by the Department for Education.
Ready to make a full day of it?
Book your free Time 2 Move morning on Playwaze, then add a free or subsidised afternoon place at checkout. Let’s make some waves.
