Surf Amnesty September
How Toms Holidays and The Wave Project are saving Cornwall’s Neoprene and helping change young lives through Surf Therapy
Have you got a “closet of shame” or a dark corner in your shed where old, stiff wetsuits go to die? Is there a dinged-up surfboard or an old bodyboard taking up space that you swear you’ll fix “one day” but never do?
If you are nodding along, you are experiencing what we call “surf gear guilt.” Throwing non-biodegradable neoprene or fibreglass into a standard bin feels completely wrong, but keeping it cluttered in your garage doesn’t help anyone.
This autumn, your guilt officially ends. Toms Holidays has partnered with Cornwall’s pioneering youth mental health charity, The Wave Project, to launch Surf Amnesty September. All month long, our holiday park at Riviere Towans, Hayle is acting as an official community donation station to give your retired surf kit a brand-new life.
What is a Surf Amnesty? (The Judgement-Free Zone)
Traditionally, an amnesty means a pardon with no questions asked. We are bringing that exact same philosophy to recycling your surf gear in Hayle.
Right outside the main Toms Holidays reception, we have custom-built a rustic, wooden surf shack drop-off station using upcycled pallet wood. This station is a completely judgement-free zone.
We do not care if:
- The wetsuit zips are completely rusted or broken
- The neoprene has massive tears or thinned-out seams
- The surfboard wax is ancient and the board needs some love
- The gear is completely caked in Gwithian sand – we will clean it up!
- Boots, fins, hoods and gloves are all welcome too!
You don’t need to check in with reception or explain why your gear is being donated. Simply pull up to our custom beach-shack hub, drop your surfboards, bodyboards, or wetsuits into the designated racks and heavy-duty bins, and walk away with a clean conscience!
Where Does Your Donated Surf Gear Go?
We are incredibly proud to support The Wave Project’s Pre-Loved Wetsuit Scheme. This local initiative ensures that 100% of your donated gear is put to incredible use, keeping waste entirely out of the Cornish environment:
- The Repairable Kit: Wetsuits, surfboards, and fins that still have life left in them are professionally refurbished and sold through The Wave Project Surf Therapy Shop in Newquay. 100% of the profits directly fund evidence-based surf therapy courses for young people facing mental health challenges across the UK.
- The Ruined Kit: Completely dead neoprene isn’t thrown away. It gets stripped down and creatively upcycled by local craftspeople into sustainable mats, insulated bags, and keyrings.
A Massive Thank You to the Hayle Community
We are two weeks into the drive, and the response from local residents, surf schools, and departing holidaymakers has been absolutely phenomenal.
Our custom surfboard racks are already stacking up with hardboards, our bodyboard slots are filling fast, and our wetsuit tubs are being packed to the brim daily (don’t worry—our team pulls the wetsuit tubs safely inside the office every single evening to keep the donations perfectly dry and secure!).
Every single item dropped off so far represents less plastic pollution on our beaches and more funding for Surf Therapy supporting youth mental health.
How to Get Involved This September
Whether you are a local resident doing an autumn garage clear-out, a visitor packing up your car boot at the end of your holiday, or a local surf school looking to clear out your commercial end-of-season rental kit, we want to hear from you!
Drop-Off Location & Details:
Location: Toms Holidays Reception, Riviere Towans, Hayle, Cornwall, TR27 5AT
When: Open 7 days a week throughout the entirety of September
Items Accepted: Wetsuits (all sizes and conditions), surfboards, bodyboards, fins, boots, hoods, and gloves. We’ll even take your crabbing lines and buckets!
Running a local surf school or have a massive pile of gear? If you have a bulk commercial donation in the Hayle, Gwithian, or St Ives area, please contact our office directly. Our team will gladly drive over and handle the bulk collection from your container for free!
Let’s clear out the clutter, protect the coastlines we love, and change a child’s life. See you at the surf shack! 
For updates on our collection totals or to contact our team, visit our facebook page www.facebook.com/tomsholidays or call us directly at 01736 753010.
For more information on Surf Therapy and how it is transforming lives please visit www.waveproject.co.uk
