England

Extreme sport for soldiers returning from frontline

It’s long been the sport of choice for many Royal Marines, but now surfing is being used to help veterans cope with mental health problems.

Surf Action is an organisation set up and run by ex-servicemen, who run surf camps for veterans in Cornwall. It is based on an American model which helps injured US Marines by teaching them to surf in California, and here in Watergate Bay in Cornwall, they are hoping to do the same for British veterans.

The instructors are not only champion surfers, they are ex-servicemen. For the last nine months, they have turned their talents to helping combat veterans who’ve suffered mental health problems or physical injury, by teaching them to surf.

The novices are all serving soldiers. Just a few weeks ago, they were all on the frontline in Afghanistan. Many of them were based in Sangin attached to 3 Rifles. Their battlegroup endured the worst losses and highest number of casualties of the tour. This surf camp is helping them adjust back to normal life.

A veteran of the first Gulf War, Rich Emerson knows all about PTSD. He suffered for years, until surfing helped him cope with his depression, and changed his life.

The fact that the instructors are ex-forces helps build trust. They all speak the same language. The surfing may be therapeutic, but this is also an opportunity to spot problems early.

Surf Action’s long-term goal is to set up a residential centre, to help veterans and their families.