Catch a Wave UK® cic Team
Anne Harrington FRSA, Chief Executive, and Managing Director
Photo: © Adrienne Silcock
Anne Harrington FRSA, Founder and Managing Director of Catch a Wave®UK cic, has a PASSION for Surfing and Water Sports. She is a Complementary Therapist of 10 Years (Reiki, Counselling, Workshop Facililitation and training to become a qualified Homeopath), an Artist and Writer.
Having worked in the NHS until 2009, for four and a half years as a Reiki Therapist, Anne has the experience of working both within the Orthodox and Complementary Medicine field, and indeed has been championing for many years their successful integration.
Anne also began setting up a Research Project, whilst in the NHS, and aims to continue similar work as part of Catch a Wave®UK cic. She has worked in Regional Management, the Tourism Industry, and as a Buyer, and has strong leadership skills along with an entrepeneurial, inspirational, fun character!
Having worked in the NHS until 2009, for four and a half years as a Reiki Therapist, Anne has the experience of working both within the Orthodox and Complementary Medicine field, and indeed has been championing for many years their successful integration.
Anne also began setting up a Research Project, whilst in the NHS, and aims to continue similar work as part of Catch a Wave®UK cic. She has worked in Regional Management, the Tourism Industry, and as a Buyer, and has strong leadership skills along with an entrepeneurial, inspirational, fun character!
Alison Tangye BA (hons) - Community Relations Director
Photo: © Alison Tangye
Alison Tangye BA (hons), Community Relations Director has a background in Education, Training and Youth and Community Work. With management expertise in inclusion, peer education, volunteer co-ordination and women and childen's community projects, Alison is enthusiastic to encourage more people, particularly those who may be vulnerable and at risk of social exclusion, to come on board and catch a wave of new skills and healthy opportunities, with Catch a Wave®UK cic.
Alison has worked for 25years in Cornwall in areas from teaching English and Drama, and Students with Dyslexia and SPLD, to Drug and Alcohol, and Domestic violence. As Community Relations Director, Alison aims to empower Community Groups, Therapists, and Facilitators who work with Catch a Wave®UK cic to enjoy their experience, in as supportive and safe a way as possible … so that they can find a new ocean of healing for themselves and hopefully their own family and community.
Alison has a passion to create a community where we once again connect with healing power of liminal spaces like the ocean shore, providing rich opportunities for creativity and healing.
Alison has worked for 25years in Cornwall in areas from teaching English and Drama, and Students with Dyslexia and SPLD, to Drug and Alcohol, and Domestic violence. As Community Relations Director, Alison aims to empower Community Groups, Therapists, and Facilitators who work with Catch a Wave®UK cic to enjoy their experience, in as supportive and safe a way as possible … so that they can find a new ocean of healing for themselves and hopefully their own family and community.
Alison has a passion to create a community where we once again connect with healing power of liminal spaces like the ocean shore, providing rich opportunities for creativity and healing.
Dick Maule - Finance
Dick Maule
| PA and Admin
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Sandra Gaffney - Sales Advisor
| Nick Kemp - Event Site Manager
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Advisory Group and Volunteers
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How and why we caught the wave!
© Gwithian Academy of Surfing
Anne Harrington FRSA, founder of Catch a Wave®UK cic, began Surfing in later life and discovered how therapeutic and healing Surfing can be, having experienced a number of health problems personally.
After catching her first wave, Anne felt this could also be the way forward for a number of her clients, towards wellbeing and good health. Anne felt passionately that she wanted to help people to lead lives that are to their full potential, and providing them with new inspiring opportunities. As a result, Anne decided to set up a Business combining her work as a Therapist and Workshop Facilitator, with a local Surf Guard and Complementary Therapist.
Very soon, other Service Providers came on board, and a critical mass was reached, with a rapidly growing Team of Watersports Providers and Complementary Therapists. At the same time, the Catch a Wave®UK cic Team began to grow and shift in experience and expertise and number, and our Social Media Profile increased dramatically, with interest from several Celebrities, Sports figures, and other high profile figures. This rapid growth is continuing, with Catch a Wave®UK cic winning several Awards, Competitions and Grants, and the plan is to continue to grow and diversify.
Catch a Wave®UK cic now offers other Water Sports throughout Cornwall, and also will do so eventually, throughout the UK. Longer term aims include establishing a Holistic Retreat (providing Orthodox and Complementary Therapy alongside Watersports and Outdoor Activities), which has been a goal Anne has been working towards for many years.
The core focus of our business activity is a very simple one, brokering and planning activities between groups and individuals, and Watersports and Activity Providers, and relevant Complementary Therapists. We act as a 'Hub', securing work locally and nationally, taking a percentage for doing so and feeding this back into the organisation, community and environment. We pay our Service Providers the remainder, and connect up the relevant service providers to the client.
Also, combining accommodation with various combinations of activities is now offering a more complete, ready made package to clients, and we are offering these through Much Better Adventures (See:www.muchbetteradventures.com). We also aim to assist people to view the natural world in a different, more appreciative, empathetic way, and are running 30 Beach Health and Wellbeing Walks through 2011-2012, plus 12 Beach Cleans (funded by The National Lottery).
The Catch a Wave®UK cic Team has rapidly expanded, since being incorporated last May, and includes two Voluntary Directors, and a growing bank of extra Volunteers. Everyone is well experienced in their field, and our Team covers a broad range of business expertise, enabling the successful running of the enterprise. Paramount is that we all share the same vision and values, which include integrity, honesty, quality, inspiration and service.
We are totally unique, no one else in the private or third sector, in the UK is offering our service, and we are selling an exciting, new concept. In addition, when clients book one of our core products, (outlined below), all profit is poured back into the community, environment, and into the enterprise itself - as we are a Community Interest Company (cic), Not For Profit Organisation.
Anne says: '… A huge challenge for me when I initially began Surfing, was feeling 'Too old, too unfit, too busy, not cool enough' to Surf. I feel there are a lot of people, who may also experience this and although they would LOVE to give Water Sports a go, feel they have to go through so many hurdles before they even get in a wetsuit! Also, we aim to encourage more women to try Watersports, and those people who 'fall through the net', and who feel/are excluded by Society. And Catch a Wave®UK cic is open to all of course! We also want to make Complementary Therapies and other Outdoor Activities more accessible to all, and raise awareness re the Environment. Having been through many other life issues myself, I feel I want to put something back into Society and help others catch a wave too, bringing some magic back into their lives … and we have an amazing crew on board to make this a reality! ... '
She continues: “ … It's been a very 'organic' process establishing Catch a Wave®UK as a Social Enterprise, and I've set the Business up on a tiny shoestring, completely from scratch … having to draw upon all my Entrepeneurial strengths and talents to do so! Initially I set up a free website to advertise our work, the local community have been AMAZING!, lending us equipment, giving us services for free, being very flexible re payments that were due … we really have been living The Social Enterprise Dream!! I am also being asked to talk now about my journey as an Entrepeneur to local schools, colleges and organisations, encouraging others to set up Social Enterprises/Businesses, bringing more money and opportunities into the Cornish Economy ...”
The decision to explore the cic route, rather than set up as a private business was made as a result of attendance an introduction to Social Enterprise course early last year. Anne says: “... The guy leading the course went through all the various Company Structures available, and when he spoke re Social Enterprise, and how the aim is to move away from large Grants and towards thriving more on Trading Income, with an Asset lock in place, - something really resonated with me, and I knew this was the only way forward as a business structure for Catch a Wave®UK cic. Having worked in many Private Companies and Organisations, and experienced what I perceived as a 'ruthless' working environment, my aim is to bring Heart and Soul back into Business, whilst maintaining professionalism, efficiency and profitability ...”
After catching her first wave, Anne felt this could also be the way forward for a number of her clients, towards wellbeing and good health. Anne felt passionately that she wanted to help people to lead lives that are to their full potential, and providing them with new inspiring opportunities. As a result, Anne decided to set up a Business combining her work as a Therapist and Workshop Facilitator, with a local Surf Guard and Complementary Therapist.
Very soon, other Service Providers came on board, and a critical mass was reached, with a rapidly growing Team of Watersports Providers and Complementary Therapists. At the same time, the Catch a Wave®UK cic Team began to grow and shift in experience and expertise and number, and our Social Media Profile increased dramatically, with interest from several Celebrities, Sports figures, and other high profile figures. This rapid growth is continuing, with Catch a Wave®UK cic winning several Awards, Competitions and Grants, and the plan is to continue to grow and diversify.
Catch a Wave®UK cic now offers other Water Sports throughout Cornwall, and also will do so eventually, throughout the UK. Longer term aims include establishing a Holistic Retreat (providing Orthodox and Complementary Therapy alongside Watersports and Outdoor Activities), which has been a goal Anne has been working towards for many years.
The core focus of our business activity is a very simple one, brokering and planning activities between groups and individuals, and Watersports and Activity Providers, and relevant Complementary Therapists. We act as a 'Hub', securing work locally and nationally, taking a percentage for doing so and feeding this back into the organisation, community and environment. We pay our Service Providers the remainder, and connect up the relevant service providers to the client.
Also, combining accommodation with various combinations of activities is now offering a more complete, ready made package to clients, and we are offering these through Much Better Adventures (See:www.muchbetteradventures.com). We also aim to assist people to view the natural world in a different, more appreciative, empathetic way, and are running 30 Beach Health and Wellbeing Walks through 2011-2012, plus 12 Beach Cleans (funded by The National Lottery).
The Catch a Wave®UK cic Team has rapidly expanded, since being incorporated last May, and includes two Voluntary Directors, and a growing bank of extra Volunteers. Everyone is well experienced in their field, and our Team covers a broad range of business expertise, enabling the successful running of the enterprise. Paramount is that we all share the same vision and values, which include integrity, honesty, quality, inspiration and service.
We are totally unique, no one else in the private or third sector, in the UK is offering our service, and we are selling an exciting, new concept. In addition, when clients book one of our core products, (outlined below), all profit is poured back into the community, environment, and into the enterprise itself - as we are a Community Interest Company (cic), Not For Profit Organisation.
Anne says: '… A huge challenge for me when I initially began Surfing, was feeling 'Too old, too unfit, too busy, not cool enough' to Surf. I feel there are a lot of people, who may also experience this and although they would LOVE to give Water Sports a go, feel they have to go through so many hurdles before they even get in a wetsuit! Also, we aim to encourage more women to try Watersports, and those people who 'fall through the net', and who feel/are excluded by Society. And Catch a Wave®UK cic is open to all of course! We also want to make Complementary Therapies and other Outdoor Activities more accessible to all, and raise awareness re the Environment. Having been through many other life issues myself, I feel I want to put something back into Society and help others catch a wave too, bringing some magic back into their lives … and we have an amazing crew on board to make this a reality! ... '
She continues: “ … It's been a very 'organic' process establishing Catch a Wave®UK as a Social Enterprise, and I've set the Business up on a tiny shoestring, completely from scratch … having to draw upon all my Entrepeneurial strengths and talents to do so! Initially I set up a free website to advertise our work, the local community have been AMAZING!, lending us equipment, giving us services for free, being very flexible re payments that were due … we really have been living The Social Enterprise Dream!! I am also being asked to talk now about my journey as an Entrepeneur to local schools, colleges and organisations, encouraging others to set up Social Enterprises/Businesses, bringing more money and opportunities into the Cornish Economy ...”
The decision to explore the cic route, rather than set up as a private business was made as a result of attendance an introduction to Social Enterprise course early last year. Anne says: “... The guy leading the course went through all the various Company Structures available, and when he spoke re Social Enterprise, and how the aim is to move away from large Grants and towards thriving more on Trading Income, with an Asset lock in place, - something really resonated with me, and I knew this was the only way forward as a business structure for Catch a Wave®UK cic. Having worked in many Private Companies and Organisations, and experienced what I perceived as a 'ruthless' working environment, my aim is to bring Heart and Soul back into Business, whilst maintaining professionalism, efficiency and profitability ...”
