Gabe Davies
Chair of Regional Reps, Newcastle, North East (rep)
Gabe is from Newcastle in the North East of England and is Britain’s most successful big wave surfer. He has won four British surfing titles, numerous English titles and has represented his nation at the World and European Championships. He is proud to be the first Chair of the SAS Regional Reps programme.
Mikey Corker
North Devon, South West (rep)
As a surfer Mikey finds it hard not to be concerned with the state of the playground in which we choose to spend our time. He feels that representing SAS is a great opportunity to give something back to the ocean, waves and beaches, to help ensure it is still a wonderful place for future generations of surfers and beach lovers alike.
Ross Beese
West Wales, Wales (rep)
Ross has helped inspire hundreds of local kids to be more environmentally aware. He has also helped bag, bin and recycle over 1000 kgs of marine litter, appeared on BBC Wales and ITV promoting core SAS campaigns and represented SAS with over 50,000 climate change activists in London. That's commitment!
Elliot Dudley
South Wales, Wales (rep)
Elliot surfed professionally for 3 years winning 2 European Longboards Titles, 2 British Titles and numerous Welsh Titles. In July 2010, he paddled across the English Channel to raise money for SAS. He is passionate about how we can embrace renewable energy without compromising UK surfing wave resources.
Giles Watson
Bristol, South West (rep)
Giles studied biology and applied marine science at university. A career in marine pollution research at Plymouth University followed, where he completed a PhD in marine 'ecotoxicology', developing techniques and publishing papers on the use of marine organisms as indicators of pollution in the marine and estuarine environment.
Andrew Couldwell
Digital Rep, South West (rep)
Andrew is our Digital Rep, based in Cornwall. He's a designer by trade, bringing a wealth of experience to the SAS team. He's also the Founder of Club Of The Waves. He designed/built our award winning Protect Our Waves Petition website and is working with us on the exciting next phase of the SAS website!
Alasdair Steele
Edinburgh, Scotland & Hebrides (rep)
Alasdair has been an SAS member for longer than he cares to remember and was once on the SAS board of directors. He is now kept busy raising awareness of local issues, organising beach cleans and carrying out educational talks to anyone who wants to listen.
Dave Melmoth
Thanet’s 27 mile coastline, South Coast & South East (rep)
Dave believes that we all have a part to play in sustaining the cleanliness of our beautiful coastline. He works closely with the local council and the Thanet Coast Project’s Foreshore management teams and his business, Joss Bay Surf School, is central to the water sports community across Thanet.
Paul Riste
Dorset - Bournemouth, Poole & Boscombe, South Coast & South East (rep)
Paul believes that education & awareness of SAS campaigns will make as huge difference to the future of our coasts. He hopes he can help get these messages across and encourage everyone to do their bit in protecting our coast & helping to keep it clean.
Nick Noble
Saltburn, North East (rep)
Nick joined SAS in the early 90’s and remains an active member to the present day. In 1983 he started Saltburn Surf Hire and Surf School, a seafront business, and has consistently lobbied Northumbrian Water on coastal pollution including the continuing impacts of CSOs. He has been involved in SAS community projects including Motivocean and the Big Spring Beach Clean.
Lauren Smith
Aberdeenshire, Scotland & Hebrides (rep)
Lauren is passionate about all aspects of marine conservation, she spends a lot of her time on or under the water both surfing and with her work as a shark biologist. She is keen to mobilise surfers and non-surfers alike to tackle environmental issues around her local area in Aberdeenshire.
Jamie Viveash
Sunderland, North East (rep)
Jamie surfing 15 years ago in South West of England and now lives & surfs the breaks in and around Sunderland. After a recent beach clean he was inspired and shocked at the condition of our beach and the impact this is having on the marine life. He wants to make a difference and get our beaches safe and clean for all to enjoy.
Alice Beese
West Wales, Wales (rep)
Alice lives in a wild and wonderful location where the Atlantic sea and strong south westerly winds batter the coast. She and her new husband Ross are dedicated SAS Reps and have connected thousands of people to SAS through local educational talks, beach cleans and other events. Local spots she covers include Newgale, Whitesands, and other Pembrokeshire beaches.
Ross Curwen
Sidmouth area, South West (rep)
Ross believes that surfers and water users are more in tune with what is going on in and around the ocean. Representing SAS is a good way to engage and educate the wider community in the importance of protecting the finite resource that is our marine environment. He hopes to improve East Devon's marine litter and water quality issues
Clayton Jones
Lancashire - Fylde Coast, North West (rep)
Clayton is a marine biologist and has worked with both government and private sector organisations, with areas of interest including point source analysis of pollution, coastal management systems and interactions of renewable energy devices with the environment. He enjoys spending my free time sailing and diving around the North West region.
Chris Betty
Porthleven, Penzance & The Lizard, South West (rep)
Chris has been directly involved in a number of recent SAS initiatives including the Barefoot Wine Beach Rescue Project, the Autumn Beach Clean Series and the Think Before You Flush Towns project in his home territory of Porthleven. He has excellent contacts across Cornwall and is a strong SAS advocate in the south-west.
Gill Houlsby
Isle of Skye, The Hebrides, Scotland & Hebrides (rep)
Gill has been a member of SAS since she was 15 – that’s 15 years to date! She is determined to mobilise the community to tackle local coastal issues, primarily marine litter, which sadly, like on most beaches, there is all too much of along her stretch of coastline. Beaches she covers include Talisker Bay, Score Bay, Duntulm and Camus Mor.
Gabe Wortman
West Scotland, Scotland & Hebrides (rep)
Gabe organises local beach cleans, consults with Marine Scotland regarding offshore developments and promotes SAS to the public and other Scottish environmental groups. He covers beaches including Macrihanish and Westport. As a surfer, Gabe feels he has a responsibility to support SAS and encourage others to do likewise.
Owain Davies
Tynemouth, North East (rep)
Owain's commitment to SAS has helped raise environmental awareness to not only hardcore Geordie surfers but also the wider community. He has organised a number of very successful beach cleans, exposed problem CSO's and raised vital funds for the campaigns. He currently manages musician Ben Howard, another big supporter of SAS.
Steve Crawford
Scarborough, North East (rep)
Steve has been involved with SAS initiatives since the early 1990's and has organised beach cleans and fund-raising events including paddle-board jousting. He works locally with Yorkshire Water to improve communication and increase combined sewer overflow (CSO) monitoring. He recently secured council funding to install SAS environmental information boards at local beaches.
Simon Palmer
Saltburn, North East (rep)
When Simon settled in the North East the level of domestic waste pollution was obscene. Condoms, tampons and sewage slicks were commonplace in the water. According to Simon, after many successful SAS campaigns and beach cleans local beaches have improved but SAS still has its work cut out on marine litter and CSO's.
Chris McClean
Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, North East (rep)
Chris is a designer, photographer, film-maker and artist. He has been involved with local SAS campaigns on CSOs and against UV turn-offs at Lincolnshire sewage treatment works. He has first-hand experience of sickness from surfing at one of the North East’s best and notoriously filthy reef breaks, which has motivated him to campaign for better water quality in the area.
Robin Johnson
Youth Ambassador, South Coast & South East (rep)
Robin believes that the World’s oceans are in jeopardy. At just 16 Robin launched his own charity to raise awareness of marine issues - the World Conservation & Wildlife Trust. Robin is proud to be acting as a Youth Ambassador in the SAS Reps programme, splitting his time between London & Dorset. He recently organised a Gala dinner raising over £2,500 for SAS, Sea Shepherd and EIA.
Chris Ranford
West Cornwall, South West (rep)
Chris recently graduated from Bournemouth University with a BSc (Hons) degree in Marine and Coastal Management. He is now working with the Cornish fishing community on sustainability projects and other progressive initiatives. He has been involved in a number of key SAS campaign actions and beach cleans, and was the star of the 2011 SAS 'Toxic' ad image.
Leticia Hooper
Aberystwyth, Wales (rep)
Leticia is currently studying Marine & Freshwater biology at Aberystwyth University and feels very passionately about protecting our oceans. She regularly gives talks and runs beach cleans with local surf schools and clubs. As an SAS rep, her main aims are to reduce litter and improve the water quality along the Mid Wales coastline.
Martin Poyntz-Roberts
Bristol & Somerset, North West (rep)
Martin is a BBC producer for Radio 4 and BBC television programmes including the Bafta winning series Coast and Countryfile. He hopes to make the UK government and water companies stop polluting the sea with sewage and plastic. Simple as that.
Dan Lavery
Magilligan Strand, Benone, Downhill and Castlerock, Northern Ireland (rep)
Dan is the owner of Long Line Surf School on Benone Beach and is pushing the surfing culture and lifestyle across areas of the country which have not been given the opportunity in the past. He also works closely with Binevenagh AONB to promote marine tourism and sustainability of the local beaches.
Sonja Kappe
South Wales, Wales (rep)
Sonja has been a beach warden in Penarth for several years and today runs beach cleans and local events for SAS. Local issues she is engaged with include the Atlantic Array and the growing tide of marine litter. Beaches she covers include Penarth, Coney beach, Rest Bay and Southerndown.
Steve Lyall
Conwy, Wales (rep)
Steve is a keen waterman with hobbies including surfing, kite surfing and stand up paddle boarding. Spending so much time in and around the sea with these activities, he has been exposed to the environmental issues impacting the local coastline including marine litter.
David Tudor
London, South Coast & South East (rep)
David has been a member of SAS almost from the beginning. As a PhD qualified specialist in marine, coastal and environmental matters he has been lucky enough to work in numerous roles that have involved helping with the management and sustainable use of the seas and oceans. Even though there isn’t much surf on the Thames there are loads of surfers in London, and David helped with the first ever SAS London beach clean.
Aaron Jennings
Brighton, South Coast & South East (rep)
Aaron believes that clean beaches and excellent water quality should be a human right and that no-one should have to risk illness or paddle through pollution to enjoy the sea. Key beaches he covers include Brighton Marina, West Pier, Hot Pipe and Shoreham. He helps organise SAS's activities at Paddle Round the Pier annually and runs regular SAS beach cleans.
Alicia ‘Liss’ Taylor
Bude, South West (rep)
Liss took part in her first beach clean aged ten and has always been passionate about the environment. She is a campaigner and activist on many environmental issues. Living in Bude, surfing and working as a surf instructor (sometimes in very sewagey conditions!) has made her dedicated to the protection of the local marine environment.
Louis Hudson
Norfolk, East Anglia (rep)
Louis has been surfing the murky waters of Norfolk's east coast most of his life and is determined to drive local environmental improvements with SAS. He doesn’t care much for people using the sea as a dumping ground for their rubbish and has organised a number of local beach clean ups.
OJ
North Somerset/Somerset, South West (rep)
OJ's personal bugbear is marine litter and he wants to make sure he gives something back to protect the natural beauty of the Somerset shores, where there's often a tideline of trash. He recently mobilised local SAS supporters on International Surfing Day and will be supporting SAS at events in summer 2012.
Matt Harwood
Isle of Wight, South Coast & South East (rep)
Matt is the chairman of the Isle of Wight Surf Club and recently mobilised the local community to protect Freshwater Bay, which holds a beautiful right-hand point break. The spot is currently threatened by a proposed harbour development. He also organises regular SAS beach cleans on the island and promotes various SAS initiatives.
Jennifer Carroll
Portrush, Portstewart and Portballintrae., Northern Ireland (rep)
Jennifer cannot understand the careless attitude towards using our beaches and seas as dumping grounds and hopes to raise awareness on the importance of reducing marine litter and the 'don't destroy, what you came to enjoy,' philosophy. She has been involved with educating, at school level, the severe impact we are having on our marine life unless changes are made.
Tom Wilkins
South Devon, South West (rep)
Tom hopes to protect the local beach community from sewage spills by promoting the Sewage Alert Service at local surf spots. He also wants to ensure the local surfing community are aware of any developments that could impact local waves and beaches, having been inspired by SAS's successful Protect Our Waves campaign at Challaborough.
Kevin Cromwell
South Devon, South West (rep)
Kevin has been a member of SAS for 7 years and has taken part in various grassroots SAS activities around the UK. As a Rep he wants to promote SAS initiatives, especially amongst the younger generation, using them as a vehicle to increase sustainability and environmental awareness.
Steve Hagan
Hayle, Godrevy, South West (rep)
Earlier this year, Steve worked as an SAS intern, organising the Big Spring Beach Clean 2012. The event mobilised over 1000 grassroots volunteers at beaches around the UK removing thousands of kilos of litter. Steve's passion for the marine environment is clear and he's an asset to the Reps programme.
Gilly Slater
Newquay, South West (rep)
Gilly joined SAS in 2009 and has been an active supporter ever since, taking part in beach cleans, promoting fundraising events and, since June 2011, has been a campaigns intern. As a Newquay resident she helps organise SAS initiatives at local events, on beaches and among local businesses.
