September Sessions 2024 - Fundraiser

It’s time for some September surf at Lower Reen Farm! Chilled vibes, fun in the sea and community.

This meet-up is led by lead volunteer host Ed Elliot, and 10+ other QSC volunteer hosts, out of their home, Lower Reen Farm, Perranporth. We'll be surfing at Perranporth beach (approximately 20-minute walk away).

Want to join us? Important steps in booking your tickets:

1. Book your Surf option ticket (Lessons OR Open Surf OR Ocean playground) - the cost of these activities (and a slight mark-up on the lessons) goes directly back into the club ('Pay it forward' scheme) towards our surf school programme and building our very own, fully-inclusive, all singing, all dancing internal surf school structure.
2. Book surfboard hire if you have booked open surf and do not own your own equipment and would like us to sort. See below. Not needed if you have selected a lesson.
3. Book your Saturday evening ticket (QSC Farm Feast)
4. Book your accommodation - The onsite option is camping (80 spaces - including Vans). If you miss out on onsite accommodation but still want to come see below
5. Book on site meal ticket if you would like us to provide your dinner on Friday night and your breakfast on Saturday and Sunday morning (£10 for three meals)
6. Book your add-on activities - these are all optional - you are very welcome to just have chill/free time instead and sign up to none - Belly board painting is on Friday night so please make sure you plan to have arrived by 6pm if you sign up for this. Gong bath and Yoga happen concurrently so only sign up for one! Sensory garden and farm tour AND botanical drawing workshop are free but we will have to cap numbers at 20 for each so please sign up via the website (these will happen one after each other and before Yoga/Sound bath so you can sign up to both of these and Yoga OR Sound bath). Run club, Saturday beach activities and Silent disco do not need to be signed up for in advance

Surf Lessons & Sessions: We'll be surfing and hosting lessons with Perranporth Surf School. 

Weekend overview - (lots of text but please do read through carefully):

6th September

• Arrive - People are welcome to arrive and set up tents from 12noon. There will be people heading down to the beach for a surf/splash all afternoon.
• In the evening we will provide dinner for those with weekend meal tickets and there will be belly board painting on the front field/in the polytunnels
• There will be a mini welcome event for all our new faces at around 8pm at Sunset circle (we will direct you). There will be s'mores and new pals!
• 2300 Lights out

7th September

• 0700 Ramble club - those who are interested there will be a 5km jog, a 3km jog and a 2km ramble
• 0800 Breakfast - continental breakfast served from the kitchen (again for those with weekend meal tickets)
• 0900 - Head down to surf school - (beginners and renters to report directly to surf school, all else meet on the beach) we are surfing with Perranporth surf school so people can walk or drive down.
• 1000 Welcome circle
• 1200 Lessons finish
• Lunch is DIY but lots of options in Perranporth
• Afternoon - beach games, walk, free time, Ed's smugglers' caves tour, beach clean, double dip
• 1600-1900 Evening warm down wind down activities (ALL OPTIONAL) at Lower Reen Farm
• Farm tour and botanical drawing workshop
• Yoga OR Gong bath (these will happen concurrently so only sign up for one via the website!)
• 1900 QSC Farm feast followed by Silent disco
• 0100 Lights out
• *We're all for having fun and we're also about balance. There is never any expectations or pressure to drink alcoholic drinks, if that's not your vibe. Please drink responsibly.
• 8th September
• 0800 Breakfast - continental breakfast served from the kitchen (again for those with weekend meal tickets)
• 0900 Head down to surf
• 1000 Closing circle & surf
• 1200 Surf lesson & open surf session ends
• Wrap up (celebrations can continue for those hanging around!)

Breakdown for different lessons, or ticket types.

Lessons (£60 - £40 tuition + £20 pay it forward) : perfect for first timers, beginners to intermediate. 2 hours of tuition on both mornings.

Open Surf (£10 to pay it forward): you are self-proficient in the water and you either have your own equipment or will rent equipment

Ocean Playground (£10 to pay it forward): From bellyboarding, to just building your confidence in the water.

What's included in my Ticket?

If you've booked a Surf Lesson ticket, all your wetsuit and board hire is included in your ticket.

If you've booked Open Surf, you will need your own equipment. We have arranged a deal with Piran surf - £20 for wetsuit hire and board hire for the weekend, £10 for wetsuit OR board hire for the weekend. Please purchase this via the Piran Surf Website and factor in picking these items up from Piran surf on Friday/Saturday morning.QSC

Farm Feast - This tickets includes your entry, meal for Saturday evening.

On site meal ticket - this provides those staying on site Friday night dinner, Saturday and Sunday breakfasts for £10

What's not included in my ticket?

Travel (although lots of the friendly QSC community usually help with lifts, ride sharing etc - on Slack)

Saturday or Sunday lunch (assuming you book on site meal ticket and Saturday night meal ticket)

Guaranteed waves/surfing conditions - however, no matter what, we always plan to have fun in the sea!

*If you miss out on the 80 camping spots and indoor accommodation you are very welcome to source alternative accommodation and buy a surf ticket and Farm feast ticket.

Refunds Tickets can be refunded no later than Friday 16th August Tickets bought after Friday 16th August are non refundable

*Important information*

Cornwall might be a long way from you. Consider taking the Friday off to allow for timely travel and a more enjoyable weekend. Arriving at 1am on the Saturday morning isn’t fun for you or for us.

Car parking - if you are planning to drive you must message me (Ed) your name, reg no and phone no. Please also have your mobile no displayed on your dashboard clearly. Try to avoid driving onto our neighbours drives. See picture below!

Hardship and well-being - Please get in touch directly with Ed if the cost is beyond your means so we can support. Subsidisation is applicable to those who may need financial support, as well as trans folks, individuals of colour, disabled individuals and undocumented individuals. No explanation is required in your email. This will be dealt with with the upmost discretion. 

We appreciate tickets go faster than Glastonbury nowadays. If you or someone you know would benefit so greatly from time spent amongst the queer community that missing it would be significantly detrimental to your/their mental health please get in touch with Ed. If you are an emergency services/shift worker or have an extremely good excuse why 10am on 5th July doesn't work then please get in touch with Ed before 5th July.

Adaptive surf - we are keen to accommodate everyone. If you have any specific requirements get in touch as early as possible so we can liaise with external organisations as appropriate so that everyone can enjoy time in the sea

New friends - please let us know if you’re new to the club and don’t be surprised if someone reaches out to you on slack or in person once you arrive to make sure you know where everything is etc. Please see above regarding welcome event for new individuals on Friday evening.

Dietary requirements - please let us know when you book your ticket. Feel free to contact me (Ed) if it’s too complex to fit in a box. I’m confident we can cater for everyone as long as we have enough notice.

Please bring your own water bottles/cups and mugs for breakfast/hot drinks please

Staying either side of the weekend - as many of you know LRF endeavours to create a safe space for the queer community all year round and again we’ve loved seeing so many of you coming and working remotely with us this year, volunteering on the farm and coming for surfs/holidays. If you would like to extend your stay before or after the weekend get in touch.

Closest train station is Truro

Car sharing - please can anyone driving who has space please post where you are coming from and how many spaces you have and you will no doubt get booked up quickly.

Remember the Tiverton parkway trick is an option (literally 5 mins from M5 so good place to hop in a car heading down from anywhere really). Obviously we expect lift receivers to arrange some petrol reimbursement for drivers 🙏🙏

Photography - we will have a photographer around throughout the weekend. If you do not want to be photographed please let us know.

Please remember to prepare for all weather conditions (this is Cornwall!), bring plenty of warm layers, a change of clothes

Safety

Queer Surf Club (‘QSC’) does not provide instruction nor does it provide any form of group liability insurance. Rather, we exist to bring individuals together to surf, swim and enjoy the benefits of the ocean. QSC is not able to assume legal responsibility to its members or others and whilst we are passionate about being in the ocean, all surfers/swimmers are responsible for their own safety in the water and should make their own assessment as to the risks involved before each event/activity. If you are in any doubt about your safety in the water, you should not participate.By signing up to this activity, you assume responsibility for your own safety. Open water swimming and surfing heightens risk of injury or harm. For those who are unsure of the basics of safety in the water, or indeed anyone who needs a refresher, please refer to these helpful guides: Water Safety Advice. We can neither guarantee good weather or good surf. 

The Queer Surf Club is a global community of LGBTQ+ surfers and allies. We're driven by our purpose of creating inclusive surfing to save our oceans. We know the more people we can get into the ocean, the more people passionate about saving them. We host meet ups to bring people from across all different identities to the ocean.

Who can come?

QSC meet up's are for people across all identities, especially those from under represented communities. Our meet ups are intended for the LGBTQ+ community, with allies welcome to join us. All people agree to our community agreements, 

Please respect the countryside (leave it as you found it), please respect our volunteers who are doing this out of the goodness of their hearts and please respect that we are opening up our home free of charge (the camping charge only covers portaloos, silent disco and subsidises the belly board painting) to this awesome community.

Farm Address:

Lower Reen Farm

Perranporth

TR6 0AL

We can't wait to see you all