NZCT grant enhances rescue skills

Fitzroy Surf Lifesaving Club’s junior lifesavers had a secret weapon at last weekend’s Taranaki Championships.  They had just taken delivery of five brand new rescue boards thanks to a $9,000 grant from the New Zealand Community Trust (NZCT).  The boards were bought to strengthen the young members’ rescue skills and increase their competitiveness.

The club has a strong focus on youth involvement. It provides a competitive and healthy outdoor environment where junior members can learn and develop surf lifesaving skills. This summer there has been a huge increase in the number of active junior members participating in surf lessons, which bodes well for the club’s future.

Emma Crofskey, Fitzroy Surf Lifesaving Club committee member, says the new boards will help the junior members to learn how to execute safe and skillful rescues out at sea and also develop their surf confidence through training and racing the boards.

“We are very grateful for this grant from NZCT,” says Emma. “The new rescue boards will enhance our wave-training skills and develop fitness, both of which will help our juniors’ overall rescue performance.”
Neil Wolfe, Chair of the NZCT Taranaki Regional Advisory Committee, says the trust was eager to help the club achieve its goals in surf safety.

“NZCT is one of the largest funders of amateur sport in New Zealand,” says Mr Wolfe. “We don’t just supply funds, we supply opportunities to thousands of sports and community organisations around New Zealand, making their dreams come true every year.
 

“It is also important to us to return funds raised at NZCT gaming venues to the areas where the profits are produced,” says Neil. “The new rescue boards are an investment in peoples lives and we are proud to be apart of this.”