Holly's reflection on a year of volunteering with Surf Cerrito

A little over a year ago, I started working with Surf Cerrito and it's been an incredibly rewarding journey.

Since then, I’ve helped by building surf instruction resources, aided the development of the ambassador program, organised wetsuit donations from individuals, local surf schools, and large European suppliers. Coordinating the collection and distribution of wetsuits to volunteers heading to Peru has been so rewarding, especially seeing the kids' excitement when the wetsuits arrived in Cerrito!!

This summer, I had the privilege of visiting Cerrito, Northern Peru in person and getting to know the kids, Brayan Hilario and Daisy Hill-Norton (the co-founders) and local volunteers, which was truly unforgettable. 

Surf Cerrito’s impact on the local community is undeniable. Despite being just minutes from a world-class surf reserve that attracts thousands of tourists each year, many local kids had never set foot in the ocean. The community still carries the trauma of the devastating El Niño floods of 1997/98, which have left many people with fears of the water.

However, Surf Cerrito is changing the community’s relationship with the ocean. Now, these kids are competing in surf competitions across Peru! Surf Cerrito ensures their sessions create a safe and supportive space for children to open up about important issues—whether it's mental health discussions or creative recycling activities, truly embracing the spirit of Surf Therapy in a meaningful and holistic way.

Whilst out in Peru, it was important for me to work closely with the team to understand how I could best support Surf Cerrito in ways that aligned with their vision for the organisation’s future. I helped develop ocean safety and surf instruction sessions, aiming to create sustainable, long-term educational resources. I continued to support the remote team by constructing outreach documents, creating social media content and processing operational and financial data analytics.

I was lucky enough to be in Cerrito when the new film “Libertad” about Adrián, one of the young surfers in Surf Cerrito, screened to the Cerrito community. It was a special evening, a truly beautiful documentary and I’m excited for the world to see it!!

Holly speaking at the Blue Earth Summit

On my return to the UK, I was honoured to represent Surf Cerrito at the premiere of "Libertad" at the Blue Earth Summit, sharing a bit about the organisation’s fantastic work.

Feeling so fortunate and proud to be a part of this inspiring project, and a big congratulations to everyone involved in making Surf Cerrito the amazing organisation it is!

Holly Heywood

Surf Competition Success for our Shredders!

On October 28th, the Spring Junior Surf Championship came to Huanchaco! While the day didn’t feel particularly Spring-like—thanks to rainy weather and a chilly sea—our spirits remained high. The cold didn’t slow us down, instead, we spent the day running up and down the beach, playing games, and huddling together in our new Surf Cerrito ponchos to stay warm!

We were thrilled to send 13 young surfers into the competition, with participants ranging from 7-year-old Adriano to 16-year-old Adrián. The competition stretched from 8 AM to 6 PM, and despite the long hours, the energy never dropped. Our kids cheered each other on with endless enthusiasm, and their endurance amazed us. Some surfers even entered the water four times throughout the day!

Most of the kids advanced to the semi-finals, and five of them made it to the final four in their age groups, making this the most successful competition in Surf Cerrito’s history. Yeriko secured 2nd place in the Under-8 category, while in the Under-12s, Jorge and Andrea took 3rd and 4th places respectively and William placed 3rd in the Under-14s. Special congratulations to José, who won the Under-10 category. José started the day a bit nervous, but seeing his nervousness transform into pride when his 1st place victory was announced in front of both family and friends was a truly heartwarming moment.

Though a few of our surfers felt a bit disappointed about not reaching the final, their teammates were quick to lift their spirits. We turned this into an opportunity to discuss the importance making mistakes, and how we can learn from them during our charla (talk) the following week.

We couldn’t be prouder—not just of the kids’ fantastic achievements but also of the support, kindness, and encouragement they showed each other throughout the day. It was a wonderful moment that truly highlighted our motto of 'More than just a school, a family'.

Meeting our new Surf Instructor William Saldaña

We are so stoked to have local surf instructor, William Saldaña, join the Surf Cerrito team. He has already been making a huge difference, providing detailed theory and sharing all of his surfing experience with the kids. Now with both Brayan and William on board full time as qualified surf instructors, we're thrilled to be able to provide more specialised and advanced classes, ensuring an enriching experience for every little surfer.

Age:

25

What age did you start surfing?

7 years old

Your favourite surf break?

El Elio, Huanchaco

Favourite surf film?

Surfs up! Or anything with Kelly Slater, Mick Fanning, Andy Irons

Dream surf destination:

Indonesia

Best wave of your life:

Long tubes in Chicama, Peru

“I learnt to surf in a similar way to Surf Cerrito, with the older guys in Huanchaco lending me their boards and teaching me, when I was a teenager I started teaching surf and now it is my main job. I have competed nationally and internationally, representing Peru in competitions in Europe and Brazil. I love surfing because it makes me feel free and happy, all my problems disappear in the ocean and i feel connected to myself.”