Sharing the healing power of surfing with our frontline

Welcome to Blue Lighthouse CIC - we are a not-for-profit social enterprise providing a practical intervention for health and wellbeing to public sector staff in Scotland

Time spent in blue spaces

Cold water immersion

Mindfulness

Overcoming challenges

Peer support

What We Do

The emergency services, NHS, social workers, teachers and military are all examples of careers that attract people with a sense of duty and a willingness to put others before themselves. Unfortunately, the evidence shows that not enough is done to care for those people - there is a mental health crisis in public services across Scotland.Blue Lighthouse CIC exists to offer those men and women tangible support for their health & wellbeing, in turn providing a benefit to both the organisations they work for and the wider community which they serve.Our surf program is an evidence-based intervention that delivers meaningful results for staff resilience and wellbeing, helping those serving in the public sector to carry out their roles at their best without sacrificing their health.

Why We Do It

Trauma, stress, and poor mental health can have a lasting and detrimental impact on the human body. Sadly, the statistics consistently show that more needs to be done to take care of the people that take care of us.

1 in 5 Police Officers suffer from PTSD, 5 times higher than the average

Social workers across Scotland miss up to 30000 work days a year because of mental health issues

Teachers report significantly higher levels of work-related stress than the average

1 in 4 emergency responders have contemplated taking their own lives due to work stress and poor mental health

Police workforce: Almost one in five suffer with a form of PTSD (2019) University of Cambridge. Available here
Social workers in Scotland miss more than 30,000 work days due to mental health (2023) The Scotsman. Available here
Supporting teachers’ mental health and wellbeing: Evidence review (2020) NHS Health Scotland. Available here
Health & Wellbeing Strategy (2021) Scottish Ambulance Service. Available here

Our Program

We deliver intentional surf sessions where the goal expands from not only learning surf skills but to also discovering new tools for personal self-care away from the demands of work.You'll have fun learning to surf in a challenging but safe environment, enjoying nature alongside like-minded colleagues, and have the opportunity to reflect together on each session afterwards.

Zero surfing experience is required to participate in our program and all equipment and cosy wetsuits are provided. Each program includes 2 sessions and is free of charge to all participants thanks to our generous partners and funders.The program is open to all current and former emergency services employees, NHS workers, military veterans, social workers, and teachers.

Locations

Our pilot program will be initially available with our delivery partner in Cullen on the Moray Firth, with the goal to offer future programs in other locations around North East Scotland and with further partners nationally.

Our Impact

As a results-driven organisation, we believe in measuring the effectiveness of our programs scientifically and contributing to scientific research and studies, and are actively interested in working with academics to help us do so.We work towards this by taking anonymous pre and post program surveys focused on wellbeing and organisational indicators, making use of the ISTO Evaluation Framework. This will help us to evidence through both quantitative and qualitative data the positive impact on our participants and the public sector organisations they work for.

Relevant Studies from other Surf Therapy Programmes:
- Op Surfwell / University of Exeter - An Evaluation of Surf Therapy for Police Officers in Devon & Cornwall
- Operation Surf / Dr Russell Crawford - The Impact of Ocean Therapy on Veterans with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Meet Our Team

Our Board of Directors

All facilitators are trained Surf Instructors, Beach Lifeguards, Mental Health First Aiders, and have undertaken Blue Lighthouse specific training in relation to our session outcomes.

Surf With Us

If you work or have worked in the public sector you have chosen a career which serves the community in Scotland, often putting others before yourself.This could be but is not limited to:

  • NHS Workers

  • Emergency Services

  • Social Workers

  • Teachers

  • Military

We believe you deserve something extra back, whether it's respite, support, or just a fun surf session supporting your health & wellbeing.

Each program includes 2 sessions and is free of charge to all participants thanks to our generous partners and funders.

How can you help us?

At Blue Lighthouse, we are on a mission to use surfing as a positive driver for the health and wellbeing of those working in the public sector and serving our communities in Scotland.There are lots of ways you can support us, from simply sharing our social posts, to subscribing to our email newsletter, volunteering to help with sessions at the beach, purchasing merch from our shop, or making a donation or becoming a monthly donor.Your kindness and generosity are hugely appreciated, and every donation helps to fund additional session places for public sector workers in our community. Thank you for your support.

You can make a one-time donation or become a monthly donor. £35 completely covers a funded place on one of our sessions and £70 completely covers a funded place on our 2-day program. If you'd like to donate a full place you can nominate someone you know who may benefit from our sessions by leaving a name and contact information in the message field.

Keep updated with the latest developments in our Surf Therapy program!

Proudly Supported By

Blue Lighthouse CIC

We deliver a funded learn to surf program supporting the health & wellbeing of those serving our communities in Scotland.

Website by flask solutions
© 2024 Blue Lighthouse Surf Community Interest Company SC806435