A NEW FOUND FREEDOM | DAVID HAZE

David currently resides in Bournemouth, Dorset, living a life which is very different to the one before his arrest. Previously, David had struggled with gambling after his business was unsuccessful and this caused him to make questionable choices. He succumbed to the slippery slope of crime but was quick to realise his mistakes, admitting that he let his hunger for adventure “slip away” during this period. Prison was an opportunity for David to rethink his actions, and he set course for being a model inmate.

David currently works as a Solar Engineer, and is aspiring to be a full-time Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) adventurer. Many people experience the balance of sport and work without giving much thought to it, however things are a little different for David, as he was released from prison last year. Now, he wants to make sure that he seizes the day and adventures as much as he can as a free man.

The unparalleled sense of freedom granted being by the sea is something which excites David. Prior to SUP David was a keen surfer, however he found that the British seaside can’t always offer rideable waves. It was at this point he found the joys of flat waters, enabling an “extra sense of freedom” that surfing could not provide. During the lockdowns David would be the first on the water, restrictions permitting.

“I like the escape that it brings, it’s a chance to reconnect with myself and quench my thirst for adventure” David explains. Whilst serving his time in prison, David’s family sent him paddle board magazines to read, and he would stick photos from the articles on his wall and “daydreaming about where I could go”. As he read these magazines he realised that there was still a lot to be accomplished in the world of SUP. SUP touring and adventuring is only just beginning to take off, and this small epiphany ignited something in David he didn’t know he had.

Incarceration, plus the work of Dr Sarah Lewis from the Penal Reform Solutions organisation, is what David accredits to his realisation that “adventure is what makes [him] come alive”. Having recognised that his life before was unsustainable David was able to change his whole outlook, and is ready to give back to those that helped him become who he is today.

David is a large advocate of penal reform, having been given a second chance and opportunities to flourish and understand what life away from crime could give him. He explained to AMG that his life now is “not about money, it’s not about making impressions and [you should] just be yourself. That’s what I had to be. I didn’t need to impress anybody…I’ve come out now and I just want to enjoy life through adventure, through being outdoors and just living a simple life.”

As well as gaining re employment – a particularly challenging task for those with criminal records – David has been participating in charity work. One of which is a 100km walk along the Jurassic Coast which stretches from Devon to Dorset, all in 24 hours, with the hope of promoting the importance of abolishing modern day slavery. The trek was something that David “really enjoyed”, and is looking forward to doing more of once the pandemic ends.

Another noteworthy mention is David’s involvement with the Gone West organisation, who teamed up with the Princes’ Trust to spread the word about sustainability and unemployment. To raise awareness David paddled 50km from Poole harbour to the Isle of Wight, all the while carrying a baby oak tree “to represent freedom and growth”.

Now, partnering with Fat Stick boards, David is planning to SUP the 4 longest lakes (Loch Awe, Lake Windermere, Lough Neagh and Llyn Tegid) in the UK over four days under his Paddling4Change campaign, with the aim of setting a new fastest time on each. In doing so, he aims to raise awareness for penal reform and raise money for Alliance of Sport in Criminal Justice, a charity dedicated to the reduction of violence, crime and reoffending. Though he has been successful in leaving the prison system, he wants to further show that it’s possible to have a fulfilling life after prison and that ‘old dogs can learn new tricks’.

David does not plan on halting his new found hunger for exploration, with multiple lakes, rivers and seas on his bucket list. He plans to dedicate his future to raising awareness around reform and rehabilitation, explaining that “We have a broken system and if we really want to make a difference we need to come together as a society [and we] need to do more”.

However this is not the only thing David is keen to support. “I also want to champion and promote growth and change within ourselves” he says, “I want to encourage more people to learn about themselves. It doesn’t matter how big or small your adventures are. Tune in with yourself, learn about who you are” and in doing so “you become a better person.”

You can contribute to David’s world record attempt here, and keep up to date with his adventures on his blog, Nomadic Paddler.