Menu

Press Release

BLUESURFEST seminar details including speakers, location and name.

LIQUID THERAPY PROUDLY ANNOUNCE THE LINE-UP FOR BLUESURFEST, A 3 DAY FESTIVAL CELEBRATING INCLUSION IN SPORT, IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE ERASMUS + SPORT PROGRAMME OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION.

Liquid Therapy, an award-winning Irish Surf Therapy charity, announces the line-up for BLUESURFEST Ireland. The inclusive surf festival will run from the 22nd to the 24th of September in County Donegal and is the first of its kind in Ireland. 

BLUESURFEST is a 3-day celebration of inclusion in sport and surf therapy and has an action packed line up, which includes events such as live music, film premieres, book signings, inclusive and adaptive surfing events and an educational seminar. The events will raise awareness of the benefits of surf therapy for people’s physical and emotional well-being and contribute to breaking down barriers to inclusion in sport and society through surfing in Ireland.

The festival is one of 6 inclusive sporting events aiming to taking place in coastal surfing communities across Europe. The festivals will engage over 900 participants from Spain, France, Germany, Ireland, Portugal, and Italy and will bring together families, practitioners, volunteers and industry experts during September and October 2023. 

“Bluesurfest encourages coastal communities across Europe to increase accessibility, promote sustainability, advance inclusion in sports, and share some “aloha spirit” to benefit from the healing power of Mother Ocean herself.” Javier Cantera, European Projects Manager, Regional Society of Culture and Sport, Cantabria, Spain. 

“Some of the highlights of the weekend include talks from speakers such as Dr. Easkey Britton, local author and one of the World’s leading researchers in Blue Health; a talk from Mark Pollock, the well-known motivational speaker, explorer and the first blind person to race to the South Pole; the premiere of the Film ‘Shaper Series’ from Ireland’s top Competitive Surfer, Gearóid McDaid as well as Liquid Therapy’s much loved youth focused annual inclusive surfing event, the ‘Liquid Therapy OPEN’. The line-up is action packed, we’re really stoked to be hosting this exciting event” – Tom Losey, Founder and CEO Liquid Therapy, Ireland. 

Key activities over the BLUESURFEST weekend in Donegal: 

NB: please note all events are ticketed via eventbrite, tickets must be obtained prior to attending any events. 

  • ‘The Power of Blue’: an educational Blue Health seminar, which aims to raise awareness of the benefits of Surf Therapy for health and wellbeing, includes a wide range of speakers including: Maria Walsh MEP, Dr. Easkey Britton, Dr. Jamie Marshall, Liquid Therapy’s panel of experts and Mark Pollock, the well-known explorer and entrepreneur. ‘The Power of Blue’ Seminar will be held in the Sandhouse Hotel, Co. Donegal from 9:30 to 2pm on the 23rd of September 2023.  
  • Book Reading & Signing: Easkey Britton, Donegal based pioneer big wave surfer, marine social scientist and author of Ebb & Flow, will be reading an extract from her latest book and signing copies afterwards at 2pm at the Sandhouse Hotel Co. Donegal, on the 23rd of September 2023.  
  • Film Launch: Over the weekend the National Premiere of ‘Shaper Series’ with Gearóid McDaid & Tides Surf Magazine will be held in the Eclipse Cinema Bundoran, Co. Donegal, on the 23rd of September at 8pm. Liquid Therapy OPEN (24th of September): a one-day inclusive surfing event for the whole family. Around 100 young people will participate in a fully inclusive surfing event on Rossnowlagh beach, with support from Liquid Therapy’s team of volunteers. The Liquid Therapy OPEN will be held on Rossnowlagh Beach on the 24th of September 2023. 
  • Music: to round off the weekend two live music acts will showcase in Bundoran. Tree House Live presents T. D. Narrative plus special guests at The Kicking Donkey, Bundoran on Saturday the 23rd of September at 9:30pm and a traditional music session in the Bridge Bar on Sunday the 24th of September at 9pm. 

All events must be pre-booked via Eventbrite.

Blue Surf Festivals as well as promoting inclusion, sustainability, and surf culture, aims to further develop and promote the work of the INCLUSEA Network on utilising sharing the benefits of the common European adaptive surf methodologies developed during the INCLUSEA project. BLUESURFEST: https://inclusea.eu/bluesurfest/

Notes for the Editor: 

LIQUID THERAPY is a multi-award winning charity which provides inclusive and adaptive surf therapy programmes which are beneficial to our physical and mental health. Our mission is that the mental health and wellbeing benefits of the Ocean and surfing are available to all. More information on Liquid Therapy here: https://www.liquidtherapy.ie 

INCLUSEA is a European consortium of 7 organizations from 5 countries that seeks to foster and promote greater inclusion and accessibility for people with physical and/or sensory disabilities in surfing in Europe. More information on INCLUSEA here: https://inclusea.eu 

BLUESURFEST is a European project which is co-financed by the Erasmus + Sport Programme. Further information on our website: https://www.liquidtherapy.ie/bluesurfest/ 

For press enquiries please contact:

Tom Losey, Founder, CEO. Liquid Therapy, Rossnowlagh, Co. Donegal. Tel: 087 356 8414

tom@liquidtherapy.ie | www.liquidtherapy.ie

Socials Liquid Therapy: Facebook | Instagram | Vimeo

Socials BLUESURFEST (INCLUSEA NETWORK): Facebook | Instagram

Inclusea adaptive surfing image of a man wearing a shortie wetsuit and blue rash vest with a prosthetic leg surfing an unbroken wave on a red surfboard.

‘BLUESURFEST’ IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE ERASMUS + SPORT PROGRAM OF THE EUROPEAN UNION & THE INCLUSEA CONSORTIUM, PROUDLY ANNOUNCE THE LAUNCH OF A EUROPEAN PROJECT OF INCLUSIVE AND ADAPTIVE SURFING EVENTS

Inclusea adaptive surfing image of a man wearing a shortie wetsuit and blue rash vest with a prosthetic leg surfing an unbroken wave on a red surfboard.

BLUESURFEST is an EU wide project which will create a network of non-profit, inclusive surfing events in the form of local Blue Surf Festivals across six European countries: Spain, France, Germany, Portugal, Italy, and Ireland. These festivals will seek to break down barriers to inclusion in sport and society and promote the practice of surfing to people with different needs and capacities, improving their physical and mental health. 

Blue Surf Festivals will involve regional and national surf communities for people with physical and/or sensory disabilities and will also promote volunteering and sustainability in sports. The partners include the following public management organisations, national federations, sports clubs and non-profit organisations – 

Sociedad Regional de Educación, Cultura y Deporte (SRECD), Spain

Surf Clube de Viana (SCV), Portugal

Association Nationnale Handi Surf (HS), France

Liquid Therapy (LT), Ireland; 

The German Surf Federation (DWV), Germany; 

Federazione Italiana Sci Nautico e Wakeboard (FISW), Italy.

All Blue Surf Festivals will include a wide range of different surf related activities aimed at community building, such as inclusive surf competitions and demonstrations, together with a mix of related community seminars and events, targeted to raise awareness at local and regional levels about the social and environmental potential of surfing. The project aims to reach 40,000 individuals throughout Europe and will involve up to 900 athletes supported by up to 6,000 assistants including volunteers, stakeholders and local decision makers. 

All EU member state Ministries of Sport will be aware of the project and the importance of education and training methods to make surfing and the ocean more inclusive. The project aims to leave a legacy beyond the Blue Surf Festival events, with a transnational and replicable approach, with the aim of supporting further development in the field of inclusive and adaptive surfing, including: 

  • Increasing awareness of the role of sport in promoting social inclusion and equal opportunities
  • Improving the accessibility of sports practice in coastal blue spaces for competitive and recreational purposes.
  • Providing well-structured guidance to volunteers to successfully engage people who currently face numerous difficulties accessing aquatic sports.
  • Magnifying the health and wellbeing benefits that surfing provides to participants.
  • Fostering environmental sustainability, protection, preservation, and enhancement of blue spaces.
  • Dynamizing local communities through cultural and sport activities such as seminars, conferences, live music, films, art exhibitions, beach clean-ups, surf contests or exhibitions.
  • Promoting collaboration and cooperation between different stakeholders of each blue community which involves different administrations and organizations joining and working together for a more inclusive society through adapted sports.

                                FURTHER INFORMATION HERE

Notes for the Editor: 

Quote Local Partner Liquid Therapy, Co. Donegal Ireland:

“To be able to deliver BLUESURFEST is a real privilege and we are most grateful to the Erasmus programme for making this possible. We are excited to share the message of inclusion and the power of blue space (water) here in Ireland as part of the network of festivals being delivered across Europe. We’ve always known just how special the coastal communities are in Donegal and now to be able to host a national event is very inspiring!” – Tom Losey – CEO & Founder Liquid Therapy, Ireland. 

Quote Lead Partner, Regional Society of Education, Culture and Sport (SRECD), Cantabria, Spain:

“Surfing is way beyond a sport; it shapes our relationship to the ocean, to ourselves, and to others. The intrinsic values and tremendous benefits of surfing and connecting with nature make surfing a source of well-being that helps improve the physical and mental health of those who practice it. In many coastal communities around the world, waves have become part of the natural and cultural heritage, as well as a great economic, social, sporting and environmental resource. Today, surfing is a powerful tool to raise awareness for a more sustainable and inclusive society that encourages all people to break barriers through sport. I’m stoked to be working with such a talented team and paddling with them towards a more inclusive line-up through a collaborative and safe approach.” Javier Cantera, European Projects Manager, Regional Society of Education, Culture and Sport, Cantabria, Spain. 

BLUESURFEST is 6 surfing festivals in 6 European countries committed to fostering sustainability, boosting inclusion and improving accessibility in sport. More information on BLUESURFEST here: http://inclusea.eu/bluesurfest/ 

INCLUSEA is a European consortium of 7 organizations from 5 countries that seeks to foster and promote greater inclusion and accessibility for people with physical and/or sensory disabilities in surfing in Europe. More information on INCLUSEA here: https://inclusea.eu 

For press enquiries please contact: 

Tom Losey

Founder | CEO

Liquid Therapy

Rossnowlagh, Co. Donegal. 

Tel: 087 356 8414

tom@liquidtherapy.ie | www.liquidtherapy.ie