A popular surfing school for autistic youngsters has expanded to offer children with a range of difficulties the chance to ride the waves off Moray’s coast.
The Riding High group pioneered classes for autistic children last year, and instructors were amazed by their popularity.
Parents marvelled at the effect the lessons had on increasing their children’s confidence.
Organisers have now decided to open up the lessons to youngsters with other additional support needs, after receiving a £7,000 grant to buy new equipment and boosting volunteer numbers.
Top instructor Kevin Anderson yesterday took a dozen youngsters for a class at Lossiemouth’s East Beach.
The youngest participants wore expressions of sheer glee as they donned wet suits and plunged into the North Sea.
Mr Anderson encouraged them to dive headfirst into the oncoming tide as they got used to the water.
As the children prepared their boards, Mr Anderson said that widening the school was something organisers had always hoped for.
He said: “Now we have the system in place to manage it, there was no reason not to do this.
“We had other children keen to take part, and a lot of conditions have similar traits that mean those children will get the same out of surfing as autistic children do.
“And we can tailor lessons to be less taxing for those with physical problems, surfing is flexible like that.”
Late last year, the surf school was thrown into disarray when Mr Anderson was banned from the pool at Moray Leisure Centre for an alleged health and safety breach.
Mr Anderson, and the parents who had gathered to watch the lesson, insisted that no children were at risk of harm.
They mounted furious protests against the sanction – which waylaid lessons for months – but leisure centre management refused to budge.
The school eventually relocated its operations to the pool at Lossiemouth.
Mr Anderson said lessons were now firmly “back on track”.
Chairman of the Moray branch of the National Autistic Society, Glyn Morris, said he was “delighted” that the school had bounced back so strongly.
He added: “Now, we can reach out to many more and be inclusive, rather than exclusive to autism only.”
Any parents interested in receiving further information should visit www.nasmorayandnairn.org.uk
