About

"Most days I wake up and wonder how I even got here.  It's fair to say that most of my life I have "gone with the flow" and made the most of opportunities. I guess I'm a social entrepreneur, my path keeps changing but my compass is resolute."

- Nick Hounsfield

Nick Hounsfield

British surfer. Social entrepreneur. Founder of inland surfing in the UK.

Nick Hounsfield is the founder and chief visionary officer of The Wave - the UK’s first inland surfing lake built to make surfing accessible, sustainable and socially impactful.

He is also a leading advocate for blue health - the science and philosophy that shows how being in, on or near water improves human wellbeing.

In 2025, he was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Social Inclusion and Business from Bath Spa University in recognition of his contribution to social change through business and sport.

This is not a career built on trend.
It is built on water.

From Cornwall to creating The Wave Bristol

Nick grew up surfing in Cornwall with his father. Cold water. Big skies. Long drives home.

That early relationship with the ocean shaped everything that followed .

After qualifying as an osteopath and building a successful healthcare practice, he began asking a bigger question:

What if access to water could be designed into everyday life?

In 2012, he founded The Wave.
In 2019, The Wave Bristol opened.

Over £26 million was raised to build a world-class inland surfing destination just outside Bristol .

But this was never just about waves.

It was about health.
Access.
Community.

What is blue health?

Blue health is the understanding that water supports mental, emotional and physical wellbeing.

Research shows that time spent near water can:

• Reduce stress
• Improve mood
• Increase resilience
• Strengthen social connection

Nick has helped bring blue health into boardrooms, policy conversations and public health discussions across the UK .

For him, ocean health and human health are deeply connected.

When we protect water, we protect ourselves.

Surf therapy and mental health innovation

Through partnerships with The Wave Project, The Wave has supported surf therapy programmes for young people experiencing poor mental health.

Independent evaluations show consistent improvements in confidence, wellbeing and resilience .

Surf therapy is increasingly recognised as a preventative mental health intervention in the UK.

Connection first.
Then performance.

Leadership in British surfing

Nick serves as a Director of Surfing England and has played a role in securing surfing’s first funding from UK Sport .

He has supported British teams at International Surfing Association competitions and helped strengthen the pathway to Olympic and Paralympic representation.

Surfing is no longer fringe.

It has a seat at the table.

Awards, recognition and industry impact

Recognised as one of the UK’s most disruptive entrepreneurs, Nick continues to push boundaries in business, sport and social change.

Some career highlights include

• Voted one of the UK's “Most Disruptive Entrepreneurs” by The Daily Telegraph in 2014 across technology, finance, retail, sport and manufacturing 
• Featured in Business West in 2015 as one of “9 young entrepreneurs nailing the start-up scene in the South West”
• Listed in the Business Leader Top 50 Southwest Entrepreneurs in 2018, recognising leaders driving economic impact in the region 
• Described by Business Leader as having a “relentless vision to create an inland surfing destination” that attracted millions in investment 
• In 2020, The Wave Bristol was awarded Civils Project of the Year for Excellence in Construction in the South West UK
• The Wave Bristol also received Cultural and Leisure Project of the Year at the British Construction Industry Awards and the Michelmores Property Awards
• In 2025, became an honorary Doctor of Social Inclusion and Business from Bath Spa University

Recognition matters.

But impact matters more.

Sustainability and social entrepreneurship

The Wave was designed with sustainability embedded from day one.

Energy systems.
Land regeneration.
Low-impact infrastructure.

Nick’s work sits at the intersection of sustainable business, sport and public health.

Not just commercial.
Civic.

Resilience and recovery

In February 2020, Nick suffered multiple strokes that affected his speech .

Recovery reshaped his understanding of health and resilience.

It reinforced what he already believed.

Health is not a luxury.
It is foundational.

One Blue World

Nick’s work is grounded in one simple belief:

One body.
One ocean.
One Blue World.

Access to water should not be rare.
It should be designed into the future.