BDAS: Nick Hounsfield in conversation with Maggy Blagrove

Description

The founder of The Wave on blue health and the restorative power of water.

British surfer, social entrepreneur and the founder of the world's first inland surfing lake, shares his personal journey of entrepreneurship – and the impact that surfing and his enjoyment of water at large, has made on his health and future vision.

BDAS welcomes Bristol entrepreneur, Nick Hounsfield, founder of the first inland surfing destination in the UK. We will hear about Nick’s personal journey in creating 'The Wave', a 26-million litre artificial wave pool powered by solar energy – and the fascinating learnings, reflections and inspirations that he, its users, blue health researchers and like-minded organisations have gained, since its opening in 2019.

Hosting the event will be Maggy Blagrove, an experienced open water swimmer and coach, and director and founder of Open Minds Active, dedicated to making swim-based activities accessible across Bristol – including through her work with The Wave. Together, Nick and Maggy will explore their mutual passion for water, share stories of determination and overcoming barriers, and the increasing evidence of the real power of blue health.

About Nick

Nick is the founder of The Wave - a 'slice of the ocean' in a field in Bristol, where anyone and everyone can surf all year round. It brings the physical and mental health benefits of water, waves and nature to people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities - from a child stepping on a board for the first time, to a professional training for the Olympics.

The project was 10 years in the making and Nick’s journey from osteopath with £500 and a vision, to making it a £35 million reality, is an inspiring tale of grit and resilience.

Nick is on the board of Surfing England and has been particularly involved in supporting and growing the profile of the para-surfing community.

This resulted in the English team winning a record number of medals at the World Adaptive Surf Championships and The Wave hosting the English Adaptive Surfing Open competition. Nick was also part of the prestigious UK Sport International Leadership Programme.

About Maggy

Maggy is the director and founder of Open Minds Active CIC, a Bristol-based social impact organisation dedicated to making swim-based activities accessible across Bristol. The organisation helps people connect with nature in blue spaces to enhance mental wellbeing and reduce social isolation.

Maggy holds a Master’s in International Development and has over 20 years of experience in sport and community development. Throughout her career she has led numerous sport-for-social-change initiatives across the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, Ireland and the UK, using physical activity to engage disadvantaged youth and marginalised communities in post-conflict settings.

An experienced open water swimmer and coach, Maggy is passionate about tackling health inequalities and enabling more people to access and enjoy the outdoors.

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