Introduction

Dave Cornthwaite doesn't want any regrets. He believes Joe Bloggs can inspire, because everyone is capable of the extraordinary.

Provenance

In his late teens and early twenties Dave travelled throughout East Africa and western South America. Then, while studying at Swansea University he edited the University newspaper full-time for two years, at the same time as coordinating the Welsh efforts of a annual charity hitchhike to Morocco. Graduating in International Development in 2004, Dave stayed in Swansea and founded a local newspaper, HadOne, whilst working for an advertising agency as manager of their design department.

Professional Experience

Dave has finished his first book, a tale about a fellow who takes up skateboarding and decides to go on a long journey. It will be published in Australia in January 2008, and in Britain in March 2008. As well as planning more epic journeys, he also gives the occasional after-dinner speech, works with rollsrolls longboards as their Director of Marketing, and is also one of three founding directors of Out Of Your Shell, a company which is based on the belief that life is a bit brighter outside of your shell. In June 2005 he quit his job as a graphic designer having founded BoardFree, a charitable initiative designed to raise funds and awareness for three handpicked charities, in addition to encouraging people of all ages and abilities to take up boardsports. On August 20th 2006 Dave, accompanied by a seven-person support team, began a skateboard journey in Perth, Western Australia. Five months later, on 22nd January 2007, Dave reached Brisbane's South Bank and finished his Australian journey, known to millions as BoardFree Australia. His 5823km journey was a world record distance and Dave and his team's efforts had raised almost £20,000 for three charities.

I would like to meet

BoardFree continues to support the efforts of people who want to skate for charity. Inspired by Dave's journeys, at least four separate skate journeys have been undertaken in the summer of 2007.