Graham founded WAVE Adventure in 1999, driven by a passion for outdoor adventure, the environment and introducing people to healthy new activities. The charity works with under-served communities to enable groups and individuals to take part in a wide range of activities including indoor and outdoor bouldering and climbing, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, mountain walking, cycling, scrambling and mountain biking.

Alongside this, WAVE Adventure has established strong leadership and volunteering development programmes. Members have opportunities to gain qualifications as outdoor leaders or coaches, including the Young Leader programme for 12–24-year-olds and involvement in the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

The charity works with a wide range of individuals and groups, many referred through the NHS. Participants include people from Youth Justice, the Muslim community, adults with mental health issues, Ukrainian families and people experiencing homelessness.

WAVE Adventure runs a variety of courses and programmes, including menopausal women’s paddle boarding, outdoor activities for adults with medical diagnoses such as Parkinson’s, and regular outdoor events in partnership with St Chad’s. These sessions support families to enjoy activities such as walking, biking, kayaking and rock climbing together in the local countryside. There are also courses designed for adults and children who want to learn how to ride or become more confident in mountain biking.

A strong focus of the charity’s work is supporting women and girls to take part and progress into leadership roles. Women remain significantly under-represented in the outdoor sector, particularly in mountain biking. WAVE is one of only three Level 5 women mountain bike providers in the country and has delivered the first Muslim girls’ junior mountain bike leader programme and the first Muslim women’s group of mountain bike leaders.

A key strength of WAVE Adventure is its focus on the individual. The charity believes it develops a long-term understanding of participants, enabling them to take their interests and enthusiasm as far as they wish, supported by the team’s expertise in outdoor activities. Graham remains committed to the long hours and relentless schedule, believing the impact makes the effort worthwhile and driven by the need to do “what needs doing”.

WAVE Adventure is working to become more sustainable by increasing earned income through corporate residentials, events and use of its portable climbing wall, with a goal of increasing generated income from 12% to over 30%. The charity is also seeking a new base following the loss of its Bolton hub in March 2025, with a potential move to Rossendale under discussion.

Recently, WAVE Adventure secured a 15-year lease on an acre of land in Rossendale, a former BMX site that will be developed for biking activities, particularly encouraging more women into mountain biking. The charity has also secured land in Derbyshire for an eco-site for families and Duke of Edinburgh groups, currently in the planning phase.

WAVE Adventure appreciates the Community Foundation’s continued interest and would welcome deeper relationships, particularly support in securing funding and raising their profile to help sustain and grow this important work.