From Sportswoman To Activist // The Telegraph Sport

Read the full interview in the Telegraph here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/womens-sport/2019/07/19/couldnt-stand-do-nothing-sophie-hellyer-trip-turned-sportswoman/

'I couldn't stand by and do nothing' - Sophie Hellyer on the trip that turned her from sportswoman to activist, by Pippa Field.

What do a shoe, a toothbrush and a tampon applicator all have in common? They are all examples of plastic washing up on beaches worldwide.

“I always play a game when we go to the beach: first one to find a shoe wins,” says Sophie Hellyer. “You’re always guaranteed to find a shoe at the beach.”

Hellyer certainly knows her beaches. A former professional surfer with British and English junior titles by the age of 15, she spent a decade travelling the world sponsored by leading surf brands.

But as her career progressed, Hellyer, disillusioned with the over-sexualising of women and increasingly driven by the desire to foster a more diverse and inclusive surfing culture, realised her work could have a wider impact: “Success for me is aligning my morals with my work and my lifestyle.”

To continue reading click here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/womens-sport/2019/07/19/couldnt-stand-do-nothing-sophie-hellyer-trip-turned-sportswoman/