Centred on collection of would-be-ocean-waste from our local beaches on the Gower Peninsula; much of which was the first area in the UK to be designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, we brought together people of all different ages, from conducting workshops and beach cleans with local primary schools to litter picking with our project partners.
The hand collected material was then pressed, encapsulating the marine waste into beautiful plastic panels where the history and personality of the litter could be preserved. These panels, a stark visual reminder of images of discarded plastic floating in the ocean, symbolised our need for circularity and better waste management principles.
From the four 3000mm x 1200mm x 20mm panels we pressed, we created four distinctly unique shelving units for Surfability UK’s Canthed Centre at Swansea’s Caswell Bay beach. The centre itself, a beautiful space a stone’s throw away from one of Gower’s best and most beginner-friendly beaches for surfers, was built for purpose out of donations, both towards the cost of the build and of materials.
Surfability UK made its name as the world’s first full-time adaptive and inclusive surf school, providing surfing lessons and experiences to people with additional needs. They aim to make surfing as inclusive as possible, running lessons year-round with a variety of different ways to surf.
A Community Interest Company, Surfability UK are constantly looking for new ways to promote inclusion in surfing, from creating the world’s first seated tandem surfboard to co-writing the International Surfing Association Adaptive Surf Instructor Qualification.
We absolutely loved working with our partners on this incredible project, and all learned so much about the value of community and circularity in protecting our beautiful natural landscapes.
