THE best friend of a talented surfer and musician who passed away earlier this year has called on Islanders to come out in force this weekend for a festival to celebrate his life.
Olly Newman died aged 27 in January – nine years after being left paralysed when an uninsured driver crashed into his car as he left his favourite beach, Le Port, in St Ouen’s Bay.
Following the tragedy he spent five years in a specialist rehabilitation centre in the UK before finally being brought home in 2019.
Over the years his friends and family rallied to support him, launching the Peas and Glove charity (named after one of Mr Newman’s favourite expressions and a play on ‘peace and love’) which was originally founded with the goal of getting him home.
Through tie-dye merchandise, events and an annual festival, the Peas and Glove team continued to raise thousands of pounds to help their friend by funding a special wheelchair, eye-gaze technology to help him communicate better, a van to get out and about, and hydro and music therapy.
After Mr Newman passed away, the team decided to hold one last event – called The Final Wave – to celebrate his life as well as raise money for ocean-therapy charity, Healing Waves.
Matt Daly, Mr Newman’s best friend and one of the festival organisers, said that the two-day event would serve as a ‘final party’ and a ‘fond farewell’, which would allow people to ‘celebrate Olly and say goodbye in their own way’.
‘It’s what Olly would’ve wanted,’ he said, adding that it would ‘mean the world’ to have a big turnout.
Mr Daly also wanted to say a ‘huge thank you to everyone who has helped, donated or support Peas and Gloves over the years’.
‘You helped us get Olly home, which seemed impossible.’
Mr Daly admitted that he had ‘mixed emotions’ about the Peas and Glove events coming to an end.
‘It’s been a long journey,’ he said. ‘But it’s nice to end it as we started.’
Speaking of the ‘great community’ that had been formed to support the annual festival, Mr Daly admitted that he will ‘miss seeing everyone together’.
The Final Wave, which is free to enter, will be held between 12.30pm and 9pm today and tomorrow at the Watersplash.
It will include live music with over 50 local bands and DJs, games, motorbike stunt riding, a hog roast, stalls such as face painting and glitter, surfing, and much more.
