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WE AND MANY OTHERS LOVE THE SUP COMMUNITY , AND WE ’ D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT , TOO , MARK ! I ’ ve done many sports throughout my life , and I can honestly say that the SUP community is by far the friendliest and most inclusive I ’ ve ever encountered . I have made so many friends in the last four years and am so proud of how everyone supports each other at events . The closest thing I can describe the SUP community as is a ‘ family ’; they look out for each other and are there to support and encourage ; whether they know the person or not , they just want them to succeed . This is a rare thing today and one that everyone who paddle boards should be proud of , and I believe that is why the sport continues to grow every year .
What were your original thoughts and ideas behind the brand , and have those ideas been expanded or changed along the way ? Initially , I wanted just to give people the option to find a sustainable choice in their SUP-inspired clothing , but this has evolved over the last few years as I do even more to support our environment , but also work more supporting and donating to charities that are linked to what I ’ m passionate about .
KAREN GREENER AND MARK
How do you support others through your brand ? I have been a member of Surfers Against Sewage since we launched as one of their 250 Club and am now an Ocean Activist , where I support their amazing work .
I also work closely with Brendon Prince and have supported his amazing water safety work through Above Water for the last three years . In that time , we have managed to donate £ 2,500 through the sales of his ranges and special support lines we have produced .
I also now work with Ocean Co . ( part of Ocean Bottle ), and we support it by donating a portion of every sale to remove ocean-bound plastic from around the world ( and supporting the communities in those areas ). To date , we have supported the collection / removal of 600kg ( or the equivalent of 52,780 ocean-bound plastic bottles ) and 516 collectors and workers , which I am incredibly proud of .
How do you promote your brand , and do you attend events ? I ’ d like to start by highlighting the fantastic brand ambassadors who have been integral in growing my brand , the first being Kerry (@ kerry . outdoors ), then Ben joined our ranks (@ ben _ sup . run . tri ); our most recent ones have been Leon (@ sup _ sunrise _ leon ) and Suzanne (@ suzanna _ sups ). All of them have been amazing in their support . As well as that , I have been given permission by lots of excellent paddle board Facebook groups to do once-monthly posts highlighting Shoretees has been supportive of getting the name out .
In addition to these , the biggest and most enjoyable part for me is meeting people when I attend events throughout the year . Some are specific SUP events ( like SUPfest , Trent 100 , and Paddle Skedaddle ), but I also attend VW events as there is a big crossover between SUP , the VW fraternity , and Shoretees , which has been supportive in getting the name out .
How much do you get on the water , and what is your favourite paddleboarding environment ? Not as much as I would like to , if I ’ m honest , but in February , I kicked myself up the backside , am taking more time for myself and my family , and am now getting back out on the water . I ’ m so happy that I am because it ’ s already positively impacted me , which I ’ ve really missed .
A sunny evening on a river , creek , or lake as the sun goes down and the sunset lights up the sky is my favourite environment . It is dead calm , and there is no noise apart from the sounds of nature . That is when I feel my batteries instantly recharge , and I end up smiling for days after an evening like that . I guess it ’ s corny , but I am who I am .