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The Wave Project Impact Report 2024/25

The Wave Project delivers evidence-based Surf Therapy and Adaptive Surfing programmes for young people experiencing mental health challenges across 17 locations in the UK. In 2024/25 the charity supported 2,558 beneficiaries — more than ever before — providing 25,226 hours of direct support through 1,395 active volunteers. Based in Newquay, Cornwall, the charity works with 800+ professional referral partners including CAMHS, schools and social services. Total income was £1,589,299.

Report snapshot
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About

Mental health outcomes: Based on 339+ Stirling Wellbeing Scale surveys, 70.5% of participants felt calmer, 70.3% developed more trust, 66.2% gained confidence, and 52.5% felt more resilient after completing the 6-week Surf Therapy programme Custom geography from upload: Newquay, Cornwall (17 project locations across UK)

Key Metrics

Key Metric 1 2,558 beneficiaries supported (record high); 1,083 Surf Therapy participants; 528 Adaptive Surfing participants; 876 Surf Club participants; 71 Education participants; 800+ professional referral partners
Key Metric 2 1,395 active volunteers; 25,226 hours of direct support; 10% of volunteers are graduates of Wave Project programmes; 78% of volunteers reported improved mental health from participating
Key Metric 3 Total income: £1,589,299; total costs: £1,651,953; deficit: £62,654 (driven by multi-year grant accounting); 1,605 wetsuits sold via Pre-loved Wetsuit scheme (222% increase); 6 tonnes of neoprene resold or recycled

Key Outcomes

  • Reach and inclusion: 2,558 young people supported across 17 locations — a record — including Adaptive Surfing for those with disabilities; new site opened at Lost Shore Surf Resort, Scotland; 10% of volunteers are programme graduates giving back as Surf Mentors
  • Sustainability and growth: Pre-loved Wetsuit scheme resold 1,605 wetsuits (222% increase) and recycled 2,200 more, diverting 6 tonnes of neoprene from landfill; digital transformation underway; new youth advisory board The Next Wave established; 5 new trustees appointed

Geography

Other

Impact Snapshot
Key Metric 1
Total income £18,180,000 and total expenditure £18,560,000 (year ended 31 December 2024, charity no. 1084958 England/Wales and SC039654 Scotland); in 2024 spent £3.8m on...
Key Metric 2
700+ members supported through in-person visits and support calls in 2025; 697 support grants allocated in 2025 for essential items including specialist clothing, cooling...
Key Metric 3
Largest global investment in EB research to date: multi-million-pound drug repurposing trial provisionally agreed with LifeArc partner at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation...
£34,000 raised in 2025 winter appeal supporting families like Darcie's with specialist items, emotional support and research; 697 support grants delivered in 2025; first Members Connect event in Northern Ireland; EB Priorities Setting Partnership study completed providing global research roadmap
Impact Snapshot
Key Metric 1
22,507 households helped through RBL casework and specialist support services across 66 countries
Key Metric 2
22,600 grants given to those in need, totalling £11.8 million
Key Metric 3
733 beneficiaries represented at tribunals, resulting in £24.5 million in War Pensions awards
1,548 new families living with dementia supported by RBL Admiral Nurses service
Impact Snapshot
Key Metric 1
3,600 blind veterans received support across the UK; 447 new blind veterans started receiving support in 2024/25
Key Metric 2
1,598 referrals to rehabilitation services completed; 313 veterans received assistive technology training
Key Metric 3
997 volunteers donated 26,824 hours of support; befriending service awarded Quality in Befriending Excellence — one of only 11 organisations in the UK to...
1,831 National Creative Wellbeing Project packs issued to help veterans reconnect with creativity and independence
Impact Snapshot
Key Metric 1
349,000+ people completed the Know Your Risk tool to assess their risk of type 2 diabetes in 2024
Key Metric 2
£4 million invested in 17 new research projects; total active grants portfolio worth over £45 million
Key Metric 3
32% of people completing NHS England's Path to Remission programme — which Diabetes UK campaigned for — put their type 2 diabetes into remission
Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge invested over £23 million in 19 projects across 161 experts from 47 institutions in 8 countries since 2022