SURFABILITY UK CIC

What SURFABILITY UK CIC does

SURFABILITY UK CIC is a Community Interest Company (a UK social enterprise structure limited by guarantee) founded in 2013 in Swansea, Wales, that delivers adaptive and inclusive surfing experiences at Caswell Bay on the Gower Peninsula. The organization serves people with additional needs arising from disability, illness, injury, or learning difficulties, offering four core lesson modalities: Single Board Surfing (verbal to one-to-one support), Tandem Surfing (one-to-one balance assistance), Seated Tandem Surfing using the UK's first seated tandem surfboard with four-to-one support for participants who cannot sit up unaided, and Prone Surfing using adapted boards with additional handles and chest support. In winter, the company also offers indoor skateboarding for participants who find the sea too cold.

The company's core technology and IP are physical rather than digital: proprietary adaptive surfboards (notably the seated tandem board and prone boards with additional handles/chest support), operating procedures developed over more than a decade, and co-authorship of the International Surfing Association Adaptive Surf Instructor Qualification by head coach Ben Clifford. Surfability also manages the Welsh Adaptive Surfing Team attending international competitions including the World Adaptive Surfing Championships. The organization operates from two purpose-built buildings at Caswell Bay built with BBC DIY SOS Big Build support, and is staffed by 9 employees plus a substantial volunteer base.

The business model blends donations (one-off and monthly subscriptions of £3–£50), session fees (pricing not publicly disclosed, with cost-of-living subsidies funded by donations), merchandise sales via the Teemill platform, and grant funding from major institutional partners including BBC Children in Need and The National Lottery Community Fund. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: referrals and group bookings originate from partnerships with disability organizations (Barnardo's, Whizz Kidz, MS Society, Limb Power, RNIB, Reach and others), recurring themed events (Limb Difference Weekend, Visually Impaired Weekend), and participation in events such as the English Para Surfing Open. No revenue, profit or fundraising totals beyond a single disclosed £1,200 Race Night are publicly available.

Name

SURFABILITY UK CIC

Legal name

Surfability UK CIC

Website

https://surfabilityukcic.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SURFABILITY UK CIC is a Welsh Community Interest Company that provides adaptive surfing experiences at Caswell Bay for people with disabilities, illness, injury, or learning difficulties, combining proprietary adaptive equipment with qualified instruction across four surfing modalities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adaptive Surfing Services

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Adaptive & Para-Sport Training Programs (MPAKAJAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Surf Schools & Surf Camps (THAAAKAC), Surfing & Kitesurfing Experiences (Lessons, Camps) (THAJAJAJ)

Keywords

• Adaptive surfing
• Inclusive surf school
• Disability sports
• Adaptive recreation
• Surf instruction

Headquarters

HQ city

Caswell Bay, Gower

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Single and monthly donations from supporters. The organization relies heavily on charitable contributions to subsidize sessions for families affected by the cost-of-living crisis and to maintain operations.
2. Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling jumpers, t-shirts and merchandise through Teemill platform. Proceeds support getting more people surfing.
3. Surfing Lessons and Sessions: Paid surfing lessons and experiences for people with additional needs. Run year-round with varying support ratios depending on surfer requirements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Surfability UK CIC delivers adapted and inclusive surfing lessons and experiences at Caswell Bay on the Gower Peninsula for people with additional needs due to disability, illness, injury or learning difficulties. Offerings include four adaptive surfing styles — Single Board, Tandem, Seated Tandem and Prone — with support ratios ranging from one-to-one up to four-to-one. Winter indoor skateboarding lessons, ISA-certified adaptive surf instructor training, and branded merchandise supplement the core adaptive surfing service.

Product overview

Surfability UK CIC is a Community Interest Company providing adapted and inclusive surfing experiences at Caswell Bay on the Gower Peninsula. The core offering consists of four types of adaptive surfing lessons: Single Board Surfing for independent surfers with varying support levels; Tandem Surfing for those needing balance assistance with one-to-one instructor support; Seated Tandem Surfing (using the UK's first seated tandem surfboard) for people unable to sit up unaided; and Prone Surfing for surfers unable to stand or kneel using specially adapted boards. During winter, the organization also offers indoor skateboarding lessons. Additionally, they provide ISA Adaptive Instructor training courses and sell branded merchandise through their online shop. The organization combines best practice from special education, health care, surfing, and lifeguarding to make surfing accessible for people with disabilities, illness, injury, or learning difficulties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adaptive Surfing Lessons Year-round adapted surfing instruction at Caswell Bay for individuals with additional needs due to disability, illness, injury or learning difficulties, combining best practice from special education, health care, surfing and lifeguarding.
• Single Board Surfing Adaptive lessons for surfers who can use a board by themselves, with support ranging from verbal instruction to one-to-one assistance, allowing kneeling, prone, or standing.
• Tandem Surfing Lessons for surfers needing balance assistance or who find following instructions difficult, with constant one-to-one support allowing sitting, kneeling, prone or assisted standing.
• Seated Tandem Surfing Adaptive surfing for people who cannot sit up unaided, using the UK's first seated tandem surfboard with four-to-one support from the team.
• Prone Surfing Adaptive surfing for surfers unable to stand or kneel, using specially adapted boards with additional handles and chest support and two team members providing push-in and catch support.
• Indoor Skateboarding Lessons Indoor skateboarding lessons provided during the winter months for surfers who find the winter sea too cold.
• ISA Adaptive Instructor Course International Surfing Association certified adaptive surf instructor training course co-written by Surfability UK's director Ben Clifford, establishing a world standard for adaptive surf instruction.
• Surfability Merchandise Online shop offering Surfability branded jumpers and t-shirts in adult and kids sizes, with proceeds supporting the organization.

Quantifiable outcome

• Subsidized sessions for families affected by cost-of-living crisis

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Limb PowercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Limb Difference Weekend, a dedicated event for people with limb differences. The over 18s day was sponsored by Gower Brewery. This is an annual event returning for its second year.
• RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide a Visually Impaired Weekend taster day for visually impaired people on September 21st and 22nd.
• Hydro IndustriesminorOthersCorporate sponsor providing support for the organization.
• Children in NeedmajorOthersMajor funding partner supporting adaptive surfing experiences.
• Swansea CouncilminorOthersLocal government support and partnership.
• Welsh Surf FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupport through the Wales Co-op Centre, enabling training for surf schools to offer adapted and inclusive surfing.
• Gower BreweryminorOthersLocal sponsor providing sponsorship for the Limb Difference Weekend over 18s day. Multi-award-winning brewery based on Gower Peninsula.
• DelsionminorOthersDiversity and inclusion consultancy sponsor. They help organisations achieve diverse and inclusive workforces and take a leading-edge approach to D&I.
• Gower CoffeeminorOthersLocal coffee business sponsor. Blends are named after surf breaks, reflecting the coastal community connection.
• WeledaminorOthersNatural products company sponsor aligned with wellness and nature values.
• The National Lottery Community FundmajorOthersMajor funding partner supporting community programs.
• DIY SOS The Big BuildminorOthersBBC program that contributed to building the organization's facilities.
• Swans Community TrustminorOthersLocal community sports trust supporting the organization.
• Gower LionsminorOthersLocal service organization that partnered for Race Night fundraiser raising over £1200.
• Jacob CottageminorOthersLocal business that contributed to Race Night fundraiser.
• Carmel PotteryminorOthersLocal business that contributed to Race Night fundraiser.
• Caswell SaunasminorOthersLocal business that contributed to Race Night fundraiser.
• International Surfing Association (ISA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHead coach Ben Clifford co-wrote the ISA Adaptive Surf Instructor Qualification, based on Surfability UK's operating procedures, setting the world standard for adaptive surf instructing.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Emerging players

• Level Water: UK charity providing one-to-one swimming lessons for children with disabilities. Comparable mission of delivering adaptive water-sports instruction to disabled youth, with similar charity funding model and volunteer dependency.

Broad incumbents

• British Surfing Association: UK national governing body for surfing. Broad incumbent that could host adaptive surfing programs at scale and represents the institutional layer Surfability UK engages with through the Welsh Surf Federation.

Direct peers

• Back Surf Trust: UK adaptive surfing charity providing lessons and equipment for people with disabilities in Cornwall. Direct peer operating in a different UK region with the same adaptive surf school model.
• Disabled Surfers Association: Australian-founded network organizing adaptive surfing events and beach access days globally. Direct peer in adaptive/para-surfing with similar equipment customization and volunteer-driven club model.
• The Wave Project: UK-based charity using surfing as therapy for children and young people facing mental health challenges and disabilities. Direct peer in the adaptive surf school space with similar UK focus and nonprofit/charity funding model.
• Adaptive Surfing Project: Adaptive surfing non-profit running lessons and competitions for surfers with disabilities. Direct peer offering similar adaptive equipment adaptations and ISA-aligned certification training.

Regional players

• Surf Aid International: Surf-themed international non-profit focusing on health and education in remote coastal communities. Thematic peer combining surf culture with social-impact delivery, though focused on developing-country healthcare rather than UK disability sports.
• Welsh Surf Federation: National governing body for surfing in Wales and a stated strategic partner of Surfability UK. Comparable regional body that supports adaptive surf training programs in the same Welsh geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Surfability-Volunteers-108724088241885
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/surfability-uk-cic

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SURFABILITY UK CIC