Let's talk about Blue Health
Let’s talk about BLUE Health…. with The Wave’s Nick Hounsfield
I love water. Literally any water. I’d happily jump into any cleanish stream, lake, reservoir, sea whatever the weather trying to persuade those around me that“it’s good for them” - that they must “go on and just try it"! And as for the healing powers of the big blue - I feel they are infinite.
So I was so delighted to meet a kindred spirit in the form of Nick Hounsfield, osteopath turned pioneering entrepreneur behind The Wave just outside Bristol in South West Engand. The Wave is the first wave park in the UK. A 75 acre expanse of green space with a wave park lake right through the middle. If you haven’t seen pictures of this oasis you should definitely check it out. It’s an extraordinary example of how a vision for a space that incorporates a hefty expanse of water and set amidst a protected green space can exist on the outskirts of a city. But that’s not half of the Wave’s mission. They want it to be a hub to promote Blue Health and the numerous benefits you can get from being in, near or around water for everyone from inner city kids who’ve never had a go at surfing, to ex war veterans, people in recovery from cancer or serious illness, health care workers who’ve experienced depression or PTSD - all these people who could be any of us - and in whom studies have found water in its myriad form can have a real impact on health and recovery from illness.
Nick also shares how he has been drinking in his own medicine this past year. In March 2020 a series of strokes led him into a year of recovery to regain his speech, his strength and his stamina. Surfing and the therapeutic nature of being by the water he says has been his salvation and a major part of his rehabilitation programme. I loved chatting to Nick, I seriously salute his charisma and determination to use The Wave as a space for social progress.
As someone who wasn’t sure how I’d get back into swimming and surfing after a mastectomy, I can vouch that a hefty dose of blue therapy was the tonic I needed to restore some inner belief and confidence in myself and my physical body.
------------------------------------
Head to The Wave’s website to find out more about how you can book in a surf session, or lessons and to read up about Blue Health and how you can get involved.
www.thewave.com
Sagest piece of advice Nick has been given (via his friend and mentor Chris Heinz):
To care and to approach life wanting to care for people and the planet. Let's create a caring world.
Sagest piece of Advice Nick would give to listeners:
We are running out of time. We need to get stuff done now. We all have super powers, so lets find them so we can combine passion with purpose. So I urge people to think about those super powers to make the biggest impact we can have in the world together.
A book that's had a big impact on Nick:
*Let my people go surfing by Patagonia founder, Yvon Chouinard
A book Nick would recommend to listeners:
*Give and Take by Adam Grant. Why helping others drives our success
*Mindfulness and Surfing: Reflections for saltwater souls by Sam Bleakley