Ben Haworth Surfplugs Rider

Surfboards 4 Sri Lanka

At Surfplugs a percentage of our sales go to this great charity. We thought we would let you know what they are doing with the money... 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.

NEW surfplugs promotional vehicle

Well good folks, for all of those that have got used to the ol' ford focus emblasoned with the 'surfplugs' logos then you are in for a shock! Drum roll please.... this is the NEW Mazda Bongo awaiting final import into the UK prior being given the Surfplugs treatment. Watch out for the Surfplugs tour coming soon... and I no longer have to kip in a tent - yeah!!

www.SurfersEar.com

Surfplugs are please to announce that we have finally managed to purchase the domain surfersear.com We will shortly be creating a mini site dedicated to awareness of this common conditon. Watch this space!