Porthcawl Surf School has been named 'Best Surf School in Britain' at the 13th annual Surf Awards in association with the UK Pro Surf Tour.



The UK Surf Awards, which were presented on Monday 21st November at Carnmarth Hotel in Newquay, are dubbed the 'surfing Oscars' as they bring together the UK's surfing elite to celebrate the achievements of talented individuals and the surfing industry as a whole.

Porthcawl Surf School, which offers lessons and courses on Porthcawl's Rest Bay, was named 'Best Surf School in Britain', an award sponsored by The Surfing Sumo, ahead of St Ives Surf School in Cornwall and Westcountry Surf School in Newquay.

Hugh Murray, owner of Porthcawl Surf School, said, "It was amazing to be on the same stage as most of Britain's Surfing Elite. We have a great team of instructors that work for us and although we do the hard work, day in day out, we couldn't have won this award without the support of the local surf community and our great customers. So a very big, heartfelt thank you."

Porthcawl Surf School offers lessons and courses for all ages and abilities, as well as family surf weekends, women's surf weekends and stand up paddle boarding. Rest Bay is the closest surf beach to many cities including Cardiff, Bristol and even London, offering a consistent break and well-formed peaks.

Have you decked the halls? Christmas shopping list sorted? Michael Buble in the CD player? Good. Now is the time to sit back with a glass of something hot (or alcoholic) and enjoy our BIG Christmas blog...

A Christmas in Wales (Sunday the 20th of November)
This Sunday Porthcawl's Grand Pavilion is offing you the chance to kick start your festive season with a showing of A Christmas in Wales. For more information and to book tickets visit https://grandpavilion.ticketsolve.com/#/shows/873565355

Christmas in Bridgend (Saturday the 26th of November)
Santa and his reindeer fly into Bridgend town centre at 11am and will parade around town before arriving at Santa's Grotto in Carnegie House on Wyndham Street. Come and meet the reindeer before heading back to the town centre for 4.15pm for the big Christmas light switch on in Dunraven Place (outside Barclays Bank).

Carols in the Pavilion (Monday the 28th of November)
Count down to Christmas with this traditional carol sing-along! There will be a bucket collection with proceeds to the Mayor of Porthcawl's charities of Ty Hafan, KRUF Porthcawl, PAWS and Porthcawl Museum. Tickets cost £5. https://grandpavilion.ticketsolve.com/#/shows/938216

Santa at Wiggley's Fun Farm (1st - 21st December)
Santa's here at Wiggleys throughout December. Meet Santa in his grotto From Thursday 1st Dec till Wednesday 21st Dec (11am to 12pm Weekdays and school holidays: 12pm to 2:30pm). Entrance fee is £3 but that'll include a bit of face time with Santa and a small present to take home! http://www.wiggleysfunfarm.co.uk

Elfsteddfod (Saturday the 10th of December)
Come along and join in the family fun at the annual Elfsteddfod. Highlights include the world record elf conga, Elf workshops, face painting and more. Come dressed in red or green and the first 1,000 elves get a hat! Plus have your photo taken in the GIANT BRIDGEND BAUBLE!

Christmas Pudding Race (Sunday the 11th of December)
Steve Ovett and JPR Williams are just a few of the legendary athletes who have used the sand dunes at Merthyr Mawr, Bridgend as a base for their training and especially the highest dune, the mother of all sand dunes, the highest in Europe, known to one and all as "The Big Dipper". Running up it is a harsh challenge just in itself, but the fun continues with an eventual second long climb, off road rough moorland, and several streams towards the finish!

Advance tickets for the 2017 Senior Open Championship presented by Rolex are now on sale.

The Senior Open will return to Royal Porthcal Golf Club on the 27th - 30th July 2017. This follows a hugely successful event (Wales' first Open) in 2014.

The prospect of a 'home victory' has increased in recent months with first Stephen Dodd and then Phillip Price turning 50 and joining established Senior Tour stars Ian Woosnam - a new addition to the World Golf Hall of Fame - and Mark Mouland as genuine challengers for Europe's Senior Major.

Adult one day tickets are on sale until the 25th of December for £21.50 while season tickets, including access to the official practice day and all four Championship days, cost £60.

For more information visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/senior-open-championship-presented-by-rolex-2017-tickets-26801307432