Christina Toimela meets the anonymous “manonabeach”
It was a misty day in Hove. I had 15 minutes spare between a meeting with my mentor and my video editor. I decided to head straight to the beach and sit on my favourite bench. Despite the weather, I knew I could relax and let creative ideas come to me just by staring at the sea, watching the waves crashing onto the pebbles and by breathing in the fresh air. Whilst I was chilling, a smiling man approached me and introduced himself as “manonabeach”.
“There are too many websites that are vehicles for people to become famous”
“manonabeach” explained that he only wanted to ask me one question: “What does the beach mean to you?”, record it on his smartphone and let people enjoy the video on his website. I was more than happy to share my views and found it amusing when he said: “You are very relaxed in front the camera!” “Well, I’d better be because it’s part of my job… talking of which, I would love to share your story with my readers,” I replied.
“manonabeach”, qualified English teacher and national software program trainer by trade, has lived in Cornwall for 20 years: “Cornwall has many beautiful beaches. I found that people feel happier by the beach and started a project in order to find out why that should be. I now exist to showcase how people react to the place where the air, land and sea meet. I want to find out ways in which the beach enhances people’s humanity. Most of the website viewers live in towns.”
In December, 2011 the manonabeach.com website was launched and last October the project went national, from its Cornish roots. Now seen in 115 countries around the world, manonabeach makes his living from the project, such is its popularity, particularly in cities. Thirty per cent of viewers are in London.
So why doesn’t he use his own name? “I want to stay passive, an anonymous everyman. There are too many websites that are vehicles for people to become famous. This project is the most important thing, not me. People take a look at the videos in order to listen to people on a beach, feel good and to gain information about places to go to and relax.”
The top five answers to the manonabeach question are childhood memories, dog walking, family, occupations and livelihood.
If you want to see and hear more, support the work of manonabeach, learn more about UK beach destinations or just to relax by watching his clips, visit www.manonabeach.com.
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Contact Christina: christina.toimela@gmail.com
