Using old clothes, or material that could otherwise end up adding to the mass of landfill, we create classic designs with an eco-twist. Limited edition tees... with a conscience.
Paddle4Relief Charity Paddle 2011-
A message from Tim Tanton:
"A great day was had . . . . . .awesome individuals and awesome team work . . . . .tiring . . . . . emotional . . . . .great music . . . . . . mega raffle . . . . . . sunshine . . . . . fun and rewarding . . . . . thanks to sponsors and supporters, helpers and participants . . . . . friends and family."
New Merchandise now available to purchase!
These include the new VIP range... More details on the MERCHANDISE PAGE
ARUGAM BAY SURFERS WITH ISA OFFICIAL ADRIAN SORATI
(Photo courtesy/copyright of AiyaSurfPhotography)
Ten of Sri Lanka’s top surfers and members of Arugam Bay Surf Club received formal ISA (International Surfing Association) Training following the Sri Lankan Airlines Pro 2011 Surf Event in Arugam Bay.
The young talented surfers were trained by the ISA’s Coaching & Instructing Program Official Presenter for Sri Lanka, Adrian Sorati, from Australia.
ADRIAN GIVING INSTRUCTION TO ABSC MEMBERS
(Photo courtesy/copyright AiyaSurfPhotography)
The programme was sponsored by ASP Australasia, Arugam Bay Beach Wear, ISA, Paddle4Relief (UK) and the Surfing Federation of Sri Lanka.
Adrian, an ASP (Association of Surfing Professionals) Australasia Contest Official, is well known to the young surfers following the 2010 Sri Lankan Airlines Pro. Adrian, along with Tim Tanton from the UK based charity P4R, are at the forefront of developing surfing in Sri Lanka. Tim and Adrian have been close friends since their collaboration in promoting Sri Lankan Surfing since 2010 with ASP Australasia General Manager and World Tour Director, Dane Jordan.
ADRIAN WITH JANITH, KRISH & FRANCIS
(Photo courtesy/copyright AiyaSurfPhotography)
Tim approached Adrian following a meeting with Arugam Bay Surf Club (ABSC) Secretary, Krishantha Ariyasena and ABSC main sponsor and advisor, Ajaiy Virr Singh, Founder and Chief Executive of Arugam Bay Beach Wear.
Ajaiy of Arugam Bay Beach Wear recognises the importance of surfing to not only Sri Lanka’s economy, but also to the coastal communities like those in Arugam Bay. He realises the importance of the ABSC development in providing opportunities to the local surfers, possibly world wide opportunites!
Ajaiy, Tim, Adrian and Dane, are amazed at the potential both Arugam Bay surfers, and those from other areas of Sri Lanka have. They acknowledge the enthusiasm and dedication that a number of the surfers have for their chosen sport.
ABSC ISA TRAINEES WITH STUDENTS SALLY & NATASHA
(Photo courtesy/copyright AiyaSurfPhotography)
Those participating were : Krishantha Ariyasena, Lafeer Fawas, T.Janith, A.H.Sril Praneeth, A.H.Roshantha, A.H.Milan, P.Francis, R.Aravin, K.H.Lesitha Prabath, P.B.Praneeth Sadaruwan.
All ten of the trainees passed the initial 2 day Level 1 Instructor Program and are now in the process of completing the 20 Hours of Instructor Training Practical Assessment that is required before a final examination in 2012.
They were fortunate to have two enthusiastic student volunteers on the day in Sally and Natasha from Australia, who enjoyed the whole experience.
INSTRUCTORS JANITH & LESITHA WITH STUDENTS SALLY & NATASHA
(Photo courtesy/copyright AiyaSurfPhotography)
Special mention to Tiki Surf International and Sunset Surfboards for their support in providing equipment thro P4R and to Fred of SiamView, Arugam Bay, for providing the local surf club with a base to work from.
Arugam Bay Surf Club Promo 2010
Big thank you to Stu Everitt for his filming and editing skills
Paddle4Relief Promo Video 2010
Mucho thanks to Mr Mark Brindle and the team @ ManiacFilms. Special thanks to Steph Palmer for doing the main edit and to Stu Gaunt for the finish edit. An awesome piece of work. Respect. Tim
Fluid Juice Surfboards
(. . . . . and that man Adrian Phillips!)
Arugam Bay Surf Club
Paddle4Relief Founder, Tim Tanton, headed across the border, to Cornwall, to find another true gent of a man, Adrian Phillips. Adrian has been monumental in helping Tim provide the top surfers in Arugam Bay with competition level surfboards. Tim picked up three surfboards only hours before his last trip to the tropical isle, earlier this summer, and whilst Tim was out there, Adrian sent a further three more out with some of the crew who were competing in the UK Pro Tour Event. The boards were a donation to the surfers of Arugam Bay who had been proving their surfing skills to Tim for some years. With the ASP WQS 6 Star and UK Pro Surf Tour Events in Arugam Bay this summer, there was a need for the local talent to have some quality boards to help them with their quest against some of the worlds finest surfing talent. Both the Sri Lankan Wild cards for the main WQS Event were Arugam bay surfers using Paddle4Relief donated surfboards. Adrian, whose step son, Toby Donachie, is one of the UK's finest surfing talents, and for the second year running, was out in Abay competing in the UK Pro Surf Tour Champion of Champions contest, also provided the Arugam Bay surfers with a handful of leashes as well. Tim cannot thank Adrian enough for his speedy response to the young Arugam Bay surfers needs. And to cap it all, Adrian had to suffer his Paypal account being suspended. Tim's payment from Sri Lanka had been flagged up as a possible security breach! Fortunately for Adrian, and for Tim, the internet access in Arugam Bay was on a good run and Tim was able to access his emails daily. He soon picked up the distress email from Adrian, and was on the phone to Paypal quick smart, even with being put on hold and running out of credit on two occasions! Thanks must also go to the surfboard mules, Toby Donachie, Tony Plant, Dave Renyard and Phil Williams.
North Devon Surf Scene article about Paddle4Relief Annual Paddle to raise money for Sri Lanka.
The Diary of a Middle Aged Surfer
Aged 38 and a half Written and illustrated by
Penfold Crockett
(Penfold Publications –
Paperback 87pages)
£6.99 from www.lulu.com
Not a long read for sure, but then how many surfers have the concentration span to read a magazine article, let alone a book!! It is by far an essentially humorous piece of literature that will surely cause many a reader PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) from flashbacks of a distant past!
The author reflects on both his own foolish middle age misfortune, and that of others who feel they need to fill a void in their life! To expose themselves to public humiliation!! Comical to say the least, it informs the latest kook (with aspirations of being Kelly Slater!!) on how not to do things!! Or was that , how to do things! No-one, escapes from the observations of the lost soul from the mountains of Portugal. There is something for all of us – either to laugh at ourselves, or to laugh at others. The classic everyday faux pas will entertain us forever! Beautifully written, and one you don't want to put down! Seriously! Honest!
Oh! And the bonus is:
A percentage of sales goes to P4R
Read and reviewed by a lost soul in Devon who hasn't had his Scooby Snacks!
....or:
I have read and reviewed this fine piece of contemporary literature!! Such cleverness to blend ones observations and experiences to a level of such magnitude! Such purity in the lessons of surfing! A must for any avid kook or surfing veteran! Both will be equally amused!!
See the Paddle4Relief article on the LineUp website. Click here>>
We are Paddle4Relief and were formed shortly after the 2004 Asian Tsunami. We are a local charity in Devon who, every year since the disaster, hold a sponsored paddle and form a circle of remembrance, at Saunton Beach, for the forgotten victims. The monies raised go towards empowering the local community of Arugam Bay, a village on the south east coast of Sri Lanka, regularly visited by P4R Founder, Tim Tanton.
Getting back on their feet
Since the Boxing Day disaster, Tim has made a number of trips to Arugam Bay and had donated money and materials to help build homes and had set up loan schemes to help families rebuild their businesses. “When they get back on their feet and are able to repay us we can then loan money to more families.” Tim had received donations from family, friends and local businesses and had even sold personal possessions at car boot sales to raise money to help villagers.
How P4R came about
Paddle4Relief was set up after Tim and friend Paul ‘Custard’ Martin paddled out to the point at Downend, from Saunton, shortly after the disaster and ‘brainstormed’ as how to help the suffering who had lost their loved ones. As soon as Tim stepped out of the sea that day, his work started for the cause. The response from local surfers was so positive that we wanted to get as many local beach goers involved as possible.
Hopefully people will see it as British beach culture helping Sri Lankan beach culture.
Rejuvenating the community
Tim, has been a regular visitor to Sri Lanka for the past twelve years, and his first major project was the construction of a pre school classroom and playground, which has given a real boost to the children and has played an important part in rejuvenating the local community.
Achievements to date
The Paddle 4 Relief team has since achieved numerous other projects such as rebuilding the road accessing the Montessori pre-school and Temples, building cabanas and tea shops, regenerating existing wells, dramatically improving the water quality supplied to many families, putting in pipeline’s, providing water pumps, designing and constructing an environmentally friendly water tower and supplying medicine, food and fishing equipment. Tim most recently started a swimming club and he has now encouraged local young surfers to set up a surf club – the boards were generously donated from UK surfers and then shipped out to Arugam Bay.
This year will see the charity applying for official charity status which will enable us to move forward in greater capacity in 2008 and the years to come, with an aim of broadening the area of our aid work.
Last thought
Are you passionate, keen to travel to Sri Lanka and help a great charity? If so, contact Tim directly – you may just well be the next pioneer of Paddle4Relief. Also volunteers are welcome and we are currently looking for Legal and Financial Advisors to join our crew – please spread the word.
Please contact tim@paddle4relief.co.uk for further information.
Paddle4Relief, with the assistance of Surf Relief UK and Christian Surfers UK, have successfully shipped a consignment of surf boards and surf equipment to Sri Lanka.
The funding for the shipment was a joint effort by the three UK organisations that have been paramount in working towards developing the sport of surfing in Sri Lanka, following the devastating 2004 Asian tsunami.
The shipment was made by means of donations from Paddle4Relief, Tiki Surf International, Constantine Bay Surf Shop, Croyde Bay Surf Life Saving Club and numerous UK surfers, to Arugam Bay Surf Club.
The project was overseen by Phil Williams of the UK charity Christian Surfers UK and co-ordinated by Tim Tanton of North Devon based charity Paddle4Relief. Tim collected and packed the consignment of 36 boxes with a volume of more than six cubic metres and a weight in excess of 310kg.
The P4R Founder had seen his garage gradually fill up with surfboards from as far back as the 1970's and as new as 2010. Tim himself has selflessly purchased numerous surfboards with the enormous help of Tiki Surf International. The consignment included rescue boards, SUP's, longboards, bodyboards, shortboards, fish, mini-mals and soft-tops, along with fins, leashes, wax, rash vests, wax combs, t-shirts and skateboard parts.
Tim was fortunate to have the help of North Devon Christian Surfer Mark Dennis in loading the consignment onto the lorry for transportation to the port of departure in the UK. The surfboards etc are expected to reach the Port of Colombo, Sri Lanka, in mid-March. They left the UK on the vessel, Ever Sigma, on the 23rd February, thanks to Paul Beeson of the freight company, GBS Freight Services Ltd.
Arugam Bay Surf Club Secretary, Krishantha Ariyasena, together with West Coast Surf Club Founder, Dilsiri Welikala, will be receiving the consignment in Colombo.
The equipment will then be distributed by Arugam Bay Surf Club to other developing surf clubs around the coast of Sri Lanka. The Arugam Bay Surf Club is the first surf club to be registered in Sri Lanka by the Sri Lanka Sports Ministry. The club's Chairman, Fawas, has worked tirelessly since 2006 to achieve this important recognition. He is now working with newly established clubs in the south and west of the island for their registration as well. Both Madiha Surf Club near Matara and West Coast Surf Club based in Colombo have been a result of the 'Birth of a Surfing Nation' project which was initially established in 2010 by Peter Rob-o, an Australian based in France and P4R's Tim Tanton. The focus is to create and develop 'The Surfing Federation of Sri Lanka' by motivating, supporting, educating and empowering the young surfers in Sri Lanka to produce a surfing culture that is able to provide a sustainable lifestyle for themselves and for their families and communities.
Further donations of surfboards and surfing equipment will be gratefully received for future consignments to Sri Lanka. Please contact tim@paddle4relief.co.uk for further information.
The end of 2009 saw ten schools blessed with resources distributed by Paddle4Relief. Resources varied from pens, pencils, crayons and exercise books to reading books, educational toys, games and puzzles.
