Beach Got News

TW // Grief 

Since 1881 The Fishermen's Mission has delivered vital support to fishermen, their families and communities. With more than 13,000 people working in fishing across the UK, the charity provides emergency response to those in need, all year round. Their work addresses loneliness, and sea safety concerns and strives to improve fishing communities' welfare. 

The Hugs Foundation rescues horses who have been abandoned or mistreated. After rehabilitation, many of these animals go on to provide therapy to young children improving their social, emotional and mental well-being.

In this episode, we speak to the charity's fundraising champion Laura Dennis and hear from a mum who says The Hugs team have been game-changing for her family.

Fisheries bycatch is currently the greatest source of human-caused deaths of marine mammals worldwide. Devon based company, Fishtek Marine has created technology which can reduce the bycatch of blue sharks and pelagic rays by as much as 91 per cent. This is just the most recent of many scientific breakthroughs from the team who, in a world-first, also discovered a low-impact method for scallop fishing.

The number of people taking up cold water swimming has soared since the pandemic lockdowns. The benefits of cold water immersion appear to no longer be a secret but Chill a non-profit company founded in North Devon thinks the effects are so significant it needs to be prescribed on the NHS. Founder Mike Morris chats to us about the scientific research going on to back their efforts up, and the profound impact cold water therapy has on people with depression and anxiety and offers up the knowledge to safely try it out yourself.

https://chilluk.org/

House prices, evictions and homelessness have skyrocketed in Cornwall and Devon. As of 2018, Cornwall’s population was 565,968, but in June this year, only 171 properties were advertised for rent across the entire county. Only 13 properties sold in the last year were considered affordable based on the average wage of people living there. The housing crisis shows little signs of improving in either county; waiting lists for social housing are rising exponentially, as house prices and rents continue to rise amid a cost-of-living crisis. 

It's that bad, even NHS workers can't find a place. Homequest Lettings in Cornwall set up a scheme to prioritise doctors and nurses in need of accommodation. They were shocked to find the number of people is well into the hundreds...

Keep Britain Tidy predicts over 14,000 plastic bodyboards are left behind on beaches across the UK every single summer. Their Ocean Recovery Project was the first to highlight the issue that pollutes our seas and creates vast amounts of waste. Disposable bodyboards are typically shipped across the globe for a few hours use before being dumped. Their broken remains have become such a depressingly familiar sight on beaches across Devon and Cornwall, many seaside businesses have since boycotted their purchase of them. North Devon Council has even backed a campaign to ban them altogether. The Ocean Recovery Project has been collecting and recycling them since 2010. In this episode, we chat to the project's lead Neil Hembrow to find out how much progress is actually being made.

According to UNICEF, 1 in 5 British families have parents already skipping meals to combat the rising cost of living. Foodbanks are handing out emergency parcels faster than stock is coming in and yet tonnes of fresh produce are lying in farm fields going to waste. Gleaning Network Cornwall is stepping up to box it up and divvy it out to those most in need. Holly Whitelaw is the director and founder and an extremely passionate climate activist to boot. 

TW // Suicide

Joseph Sabien resigned from the NHS and founded the mental health charity, Sea Sanctuary. He wanted to be the change he still hopes to see within the NHS, strongly believing people with poor mental health deserve better. World leaders in blue therapy, Sea Sanctuary takes therapy out of the office and onto the water; a recipe that has helped hundreds of people improve their mental and emotional well-being.  Working tirelessly to prevent people in Cornish communities dying from suicide,  their Gulf 999 project has clinicians responding to incidents of people in crisis at all hours of the day. The aim is to provide immediate support to those most in need and reduce the burden a failing system is putting on police officers. 

Sea Sanctuary offers sailing therapy programmes for businesses and individuals on board a historic tall ship. Reach out here: https://seasanctuary.org.uk

If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts yourself, call Samaritans on 116 123 or text SHOUT to 85258

In 2021, devoted father and avid waterman Brendon Prince took on an impressive endurance challenge, circumnavigating mainland Britain on a stand-up paddleboard. Born and raised in Southern Wales, the trajectory of Brendon’s career was altered when, as an off-duty lifeguard he tried to save three people from a rip at Mawgan Porth beach in Cornwall. In 2017 he founded his charity Above Water; and two years later resigned from teaching after 25 years, to dedicate his life to water safety. 

Brendon’s goal, when he started The Long Paddle, was to raise awareness of accidental drownings in the UK and crowdfund the development of the world’s first water safety app. He now holds several world records - including the longest journey ever completed on a stand-up paddle board. In this episode, we find out how his campaign is doing now and discuss the shortcomings of the UK's water safety education.

Circumnavigate, by filmmaker Will Reddaway, is the awe-inspiring tale of one man's expedition SUP'ing around Britain and his unwavering commitment to water safety.

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7lb2y-hspE&ab_channel=WillReddaway

Screenings: https://thelongpaddle.co.uk/our-films/

And you can support Above Water here: https://abovewater.org/