Overview
OneWave is a non-profit surf community tackling mental health issues with a simple recipe: salt-water, surfing, good mates and Fluro Fridays. Since March 2013, every Friday has become Fluro Friday. At 6.30am the crew dress up in the brightest fluro outfits they can find and surf/swim/do yoga at sunrise to raise awareness for mental health.
OneWave was founded by Grant Trebilco, along with mates Sam Schumacher and Joel Pilgrim. "After a week partying at the Australian Surf Open three years ago I ended up in hospital and was diagnosed with bipolar," says Trebilco. "When I got out of hospital I moved back home to Mount Maunganui and it was surfing with my family and mates that helped me the most. I remember getting this one good wave and it was the first time I had smiled in so long. Sometimes OneWave really is all it takes.
"The ocean was also the first place I told my friends about having bipolar. The support and understanding they showed me was unreal and I will never forget it. This was the inspiration behind launching OneWave. I wanted to share this recipe of saltwater therapy and start as many conversations as I could about mental health to help any one stuck in a funk. When I moved back to Australia, we were not sure how to launch OneWave and then on Friday, March 22, 2013 I randomly decided to get up at sunrise, throw on a shirt and tie and go surfing solo at Bondi to get people asking questions about mental health. That was OneWave's first 'Board Meeting' which 4 weeks later became 'Fluro Friday' and 2 1/2 years later there has been Fluro Friday's at more than 60 beaches Worldwide, run by locals who are passionate about the ocean and raising awareness of mental health in their community."
Find OneWave at Bondi and Manly every Friday at 6.30am. You can't miss them.
