WOOD IS GOOD

Dick's commitment to only making wooden boards, even in the face of competition from disposable, imported, polystyrene bodyboards, is something Andy and

Jamie have taken forward with passion. Beach lovers themselves, the company is determined to resurrect this wonderful piece of British heritage, not only for posterity reasons, but also because of the environmental impact of disposable boards.

“Since the introduction of cheap foam boogie boards in the 1980s, there are now huge problems with these 'disposable' boards – which break quite easily - getting dumped at the beach in the summer holidays and polluting the seas,” says Jamie. “We want to bring the bellyboard back to its former glory. And it's so satisfying to see more people taking up riding plywood again.”

Sourcing their wood from sustainablymanaged forests in Europe, the plywood the company uses is carbon neutral in its growth and produces very little wastage. “It's also incredibly strong, meaning our boards will last a lifetime,” says Jamie. “Sustainability is incredibly important to us. Outside of the bellyboards, we try to outsource all our accessories locally. Our board bags are made by the sailmakers in Padstow, and we are working this year on bags made from old sail cloth.”

Continuing to make the boards in the same way they have always been produced is central to the brand's success, but also clearly something Jamie and Andy are personally passionate about. Their workshop is now based in Newquay,