Hearing about Surfing for Farmers a few years ago it was highly disappointing that it had not yet made it to the West Coast. After enquiring, I was told they were waiting for someone to come along to run it! That’s where my journey with Surfing for Farmers started and I am privileged to be the coordinator for the Greymouth region but now also to be a Trustee for the charity.

I’m no surfer (at a stretch I can possibly claim this now) but my family and I have always had an affinity with the ocean. Myself and my wife Abby, along with our 3 kids, farm along 4km of beautiful West Coast coastline. As a Dairy Farmer and a farm owner/operator I know 1^st hand the pressures that farming life can bring and how important it is to have some balance, have an excuse to get off the farm, have a yarn with like-minded people, get the heart rate going, and at the same time even learn a new skill. Surfing for Farmers offers all of this and the proactive approach the program brings to the mental health of farmers and rural communities is very unique.

It’s been inspiring to see the growth of Surfing for Farmers over its first seven years, witness its impact on the community and hear awesome stories from all around the country. I look forward to being part of the charity as it enters its next chapter and helping many more farmers achieve ‘the perfect break.’