Words: Holly Purchase Photos: Sofie Michelle Photography unless otherwise stated
On arrival guests were welcomed with surprise goodie bags from Goose & Gander, ice-cold passionfruit spritzes courtesy of Connie Glaze, Goodrays flowing freely and YETI bringing the dreamiest pink drinking vessels to the party. Meanwhile, The Beach Boutique clothing rails were thoroughly raided before the night had even properly begun.
With the clouds holding off, Project Eighty Three’s sun-soaked backyard quickly filled with familiar faces, fresh conversations and that unmistakable surf-town atmosphere. At one point someone said it felt a bit like a stony backyard in Sagres out there.. Cold drink in hand, everyone gathered in the evening sun, and honestly, they weren’t wrong.
Hosted by the brilliant Demi Taylor, the evening opened with a powerful and inspiring conversation. Danni Wickham from Surfers Against Sewage encouraged everyone to get involved in the upcoming Paddle Out Protest on 16th May and Lizzi Larbalestier speaking passionately about blue health, collective action and protecting the seas that give us so much.
Whether we’re surfing in it, swimming through it or simply sitting beside it, the reminder of our connection to the ocean and our responsibility to it resonated with everyone in the room. We were also lucky to hear from Tina Beresford about the incredible work being done by The Wave Project, sharing ways our community can get involved and support the charity’s life-changing work through surf therapy. The Wave Project also hosted the evening’s raffle, sourcing an amazing lineup of prizes.
The second discussion dropped us into the world of digital creativity and direction with Emily Currie, Philly Stokes and Lucie Donlan, discussing their experiences navigating surfing, creativity and social media. The panel was honest, energising and full of the kind of perspective that leaves you walking away feeling a little braver. From building careers in content creation to working with brands all whist staying true to yourself.
As the evening rolled on, so did the atmosphere. The vibe was high, relaxed and full of friends reconnecting, new conversations forming and a shared love for surfing at the centre of it all. Community was the heartbeat of the night, and being able to create that here in our hometown of Newquay felt incredibly special.
One attendee summed it up perfectly afterwards: “Loved hearing these ladies sharing their voices for good.’’
Photo: Osker Carmichael
We closed the evening with a screening of Undercurrents, Maddie Meddings’ beautiful documentary following Laura Crane and Imari Hearn on a mentorship journey to Nazaré. A story rooted in sisterhood, courage and backing yourself to chase big dreams, exactly the kind of storytelling we want to continue championing within the SurfGirl community.
And amongst it all? Hidden creative gems everywhere. Did you spot Millie Wilkins live illustrating?
To everyone who came along, a BIG thank you.
To our incredible speakers, Lizzi Larbalestier, Danni Wickham & The Surfers Against Sewage Team, Philly Stokes, Lucie Donlan, Emily Currie and Maddie Meddings, thank you for sharing your stories so openly and honestly.
And of course, a huge thank you to Demi Taylor for holding the space so thoughtfully and leading such inspiring conversations throughout the evening.
Photo: Osker Carmichael
Thank you to the brands who helped bring the night to life: Goose & Gander, YETI, Goodrays and Connie Glaze.
Last but definitely not least, a huge thank you to Project Eighty Three for their incredible hospitality and for providing the perfect space to bring the SurfGirl community together.
The messages landing in our post-event inbox say it all really: “Such a fun evening, very inspired”, “Another inspiring evening” and “I just wanted to say thank you so much for last night, it was such a fantastic event. I feel so inspired!”
That’s exactly what SurfGirl has always been about.
We can’t wait to do it all again soon.
The SurfGirl Team
