A week ago Kreativ House (a rad new co-work space) in the heart of Hackney, East London hosted us for MAD TO RAVE: A showcase of all that is Mad To Live. With a screening of the mini-short film by The Psychic Visions Collective, a collaboration with The Surf Experience, a gallery presenting the best of Mad To Live in action and live art with surf artist Harvey Saunders, an all-time party ensued, well-watered by our friends at BrewDog, Twisted Halo and Craft & Origin, and fuelled by delicious poke bowls from Lords of Poke.

I was incredibly stoked to have partnered with The Wave Project, an amazing UK based charity who help young people to reduce anxiety and improve confidence through surfing. The Wave Project started in 2010 as a voluntary group funded by the National Health Service in Cornwall. The initial aim was to use volunteers to provide one-to-one surfing lessons for young people with mental health issues as a way of getting them outside, doing physical exercise and feeling more confident about themselves.The first project achieved outstanding results. The results of the pilot showed that going surfing once a week helped clients feel more confident, improved their outlook and gave them a sense of fun. The participants were young people who other services had been unable to reach. The evaluation showed that the surfing course had led them to feel more accepted, positive and comfortable with their lives. Encouraged by the results, The Wave Project was established as a not-for-profit company. Further funding was obtained, initially from BBC Children In Need and later from the Big Lottery Fund and other funders, and the project began to grow. Since then, The Wave Project has developed an award-winning intervention that uses the local surfers to help young people reduce anxiety and improve their emotional health. New projects have been set up all over the UK, including in Wales and Scotland.All of these projects use the same methods employed on the original pilot scheme in Cornwall – getting local surfers to work with clients and teach them to surf. The sessions are delivered by a mix of paid staff and volunteer surf-mentors who work in partnership with established surf schools.

With a raffle supported with prizes from Vans, Roxy, Seafolly Australia, Skullcandy, Butta, DC, Watershed Surf and Imsy Swimwear, over £350 was raised during the event for this fantastic cause. Check out all the party imagery below, and the video round-up of the event shot by our great buddies at Cheeky Fire after the photos!

Stay tuned for more from Mad To Live, and check out our retreats and book here.

Thanks to our friends at Kreativ House, Vans, Roxy, Seafolly Australia, Skullcandy, Twisted Halo, Brewdog, Craft & Origin, Butta, Imsy, Lords of Poke and DC.