In that column I introduced you to a group of Nambucca Valley Veterans who have embraced this concept through a regular walking and gym group. In this column I'll introduce you to a less conventional way to keep fit as we age, but is perfectly suited to life here on the Mid North Coast.

Mid North Coast native and former Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) communications operator, John Shorter, claims to be lucky that everything from the neck down still works and he regularly indulges in his lifetime love of surfing, particularly longboard surfing.

A popular member of the Loggerheads Malibu Club, based out of Scotts Head, at 71-years-young John is the Loggerheads oldest member and still shows the younger members, as young as 10-years-old, how it is done. While John admits that he does not last as long in the water as he once did, around an hour, and has reduced his surfing to once a day, his ability to pull off tricks like headstands on his longboard makes him still competitive in the clubs monthly competitions.

Veterans support organisations are now taking notice of the health befits of surfing for both physical and mental health. Surfing Australia, this country's representative body on the International Surfing Association has recently teamed up with Soldier On, a national not-for-profit organisation that is focused on helping veterans and their families build successful futures. The two organisations have been working together to puts veterans into a unique surfing and rehabilitation experience through the Soldier On Surf Therapy Program.

The program is conducted through a series of 'surf camps' where veterans have benefited from the healing power of the ocean and the sport of surfing generally. Similar programs have been conducted in the USA where the physical exercise and sports recovery aspects of surfing have proven to improve the mental health of veterans who were involved. The Soldier On/Surfing Australia partnership in support of veterans is now attracting corporate attention so should continue to grow. You can find our more about this programs by visiting www.soldieron.org.au

Closer to home, you could just come down Scotts Head on the fourth Sunday of each month at 7.45 am and surf with the Loggerheads Malibu Club, for more information contact Barry on loggerheadsmc@bigpond.com or visit us on Facebook. As John Shorter shows us all, we are never too old.

About the author: Mick Birtles is a recently retired Army Officer now living in Nambucca Heads. During his 36-year career, Birtles served in Bougainville, East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for command and leadership. Here he shares his interest in the welfare and well-being of veterans on the Mid North Coast.

More from Mick Birtles: Valley Veterans | Saving lives on our waterways