Young people have hit the surf in style with the annual ‘Bring back the SUP’ event at Ettalong Beach on April 15.
The event, which was hosted by Guide Dogs NSW/ACT, aimed to give young people who are blind or have low vision the opportunity to try stand up paddle boarding, yoga and sensory activities on the beach.
Thursday’s event marked the first in-person event of its kind for the Guide Dogs team since COVID-19, with people aged 5-21 from the Coast, Sydney and Newcastle all attending.
Claire Northrop, an Orientation and Mobility Specialist at Guide Dogs NSW/ACT, said both participants and staff had a fantastic day at the beach.
“It’s so important for people experiencing vision loss to have these opportunities – this is the kind of activity you would hope any young person should be doing,” Northrop said.
“People with low incident disabilities often find themselves quite isolated in their communities and COVID-19 has only made this situation worse.
“Participants could also meet other people and share stories.
“It was also so wonderful for community members to observe what we do here at Guide Dogs – we’re so much more than just the guide dogs.”
Fifteen people attended the event and were organised into three groups by age before taking to the beach on the boards.
Friends and family were also in attendance to support.
Northrop said she really wanted to recognise the community partners involved on the day – Take 3 for the Sea, Ettalong Diggers, Ocean Beach lifesavers, Karl Hermann from Bombora Ettalong Beach SUP, and Tina Vella from Yoga with Tina.
“More than 80 per cent of the funding comes from the public and important programs like this don’t come without that support,” Northrop added.
“Donations from the public is used for training – delivering mobility to kids, helping them understand and special orientations to get them to challenge their balance.
“Paddle boarding might just solely look like fun but it’s also about getting them to learn about the concepts of orientation and mobility.
“It’s a win-win.”
Maisy Rae