Summer is just around the corner and Surf Life Saving clubs around the country are gearing up for the busiest summer ever! We are proud to be supporting the great work they are doing to keep Kiwis safe at the beach.
TSB grants will help Surf Life Savers
deliver great results this summer
and TSB’s been helping Surf Life Saving clubs get rescue ready. In addition to our national partnership with Surf Life Saving New Zealand,
for the fifth year in a row TSB is supporting the essential work done by clubs around the country by giving out $100,000 in grants.
This year the money was used to fund a range of essential equipment including a new ATV for the Brighton club, to a portable
patrol tower for the Titahi Bay club and new beach equipment for many others. Over the 5 years of our sponsorship with
Surf Life Saving New Zealand we have now distributed over $500,000 directly to clubs.
Mairangi Bay
(Auckland)
$15,000
Mairangi Bay SLSC needs to vacate their current IRB and existing storage containers to enable a major upgrade of the nearby Wastewater Pump Station. It is very important that the club continues to have secure storage and quick access to vital lifesaving equipment so their funding will go towards replacing the existing secure storage.
Maketu
(Bay of Plenty)
$12,752
Maketu SLSC is a small club that has had a 50% increase in their junior lifeguard numbers over the last 12 months. It is important that their tamariki have the right equipment to train with, so this funding will go towards 15 new training boards. Maketu is a low socio-economic community, and it is their aim to encourage more kids into surf lifesaving.
Whanganui
$12,672
Whanganui Surf Lifeguard Service are part of the Taranaki region and provide a professional Lifesaving service at two separate beaches, Castlecliff and Kai-iwi Beach are situated 9km apart on 70km of coastline that they provide an on-call search and rescue team for. TSB’s grant will be used to upgrade their base radios and expanding their coverage with a repeater and other technology.
Brighton
(Dunedin)
$10,000
The grant will support the replacement of the clubs All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV). The ATV is one of the most important parts of safety equipment for patrolling the beach. They currently use the ATV to transport safety equipment, tow IRB's and do roaming patrols along the beach. Due to the harsh environment their existing ATV now needs replacing.
Bethell's
(Auckland)
$8,000
Bethell’s Beach is one of the most dangerous stretches of coastline to swim in New Zealand. Their Junior Surf Programme is designed to enrich the lives of their young members leading to the acquisition of personal, and lifesaving skills. They have indicated the urgent requirement for boards for future rescue development, competitions, and retention. The grant will fund 4 new boards.
Wainui
(Gisborne)
$8,000
Wainui is seeking funding for vital equipment to continue and further develop their Junior Surf programme. They have had significant growth in junior surf numbers and now need extra equipment so all kids can participate, the grant will fund new training boards. The clubs goal is teaching all members to be safe in the water.
North Beach
(Christchurch)
$8,000
TSB’s grant will be used to purchase equipment needed to train new and existing junior members that are becoming lifeguards over the next few years, this equipment is essential to make their new lifeguards confident and strong in the surf environment. The grant will fund 3 rescue boards, along with a new E-Z up sun shelter to keep the sun off their juniors while they are on the beach training.
Omanu
(Tauranga)
$6,000
Omanu Beach Surf lifesaving club have received a grant for 2 new Lifeguard Rescue Boards. These boards are used by their lifeguards to perform more complex rescues when a tube rescue is not preferable or when an IRB is unavailable or unsuitable for the conditions. This equipment ensures we can complete their core mission of preventing drowning in a range of conditions, along the 8km of coastline they patrol.
Titahi Bay
(Wellington)
$5,000
The TSB grant will fund a portable patrol tower that will be positioned at the north end of the beach, where a permanent rip exists. The rip is a good distance from the club and their usual patrol area, so the new tower will give lifeguards good visibility and protection from the elements. They have had several mass-rescues at this spot in the last season, so this tower will literally be a lifesaver.
Onemana
(Coromandel)
$5,000
The TSB grant will fund an additional rescue board and rescue tubes. These are essential pieces of lifesaving equipment and increase the capability of the of the small club. They will also be used during the rookie and junior surf programs.
New Brighton
(Christchurch)
$5,000
The TSB grant will be used to purchase cameras and a TV that can artificially count the number and type of users, and most at risk users, on the beach. The TV will relay the information directly into the patrol room of the club. this data will be tested against the "human" head count by their lifeguard to ensure that both the human and artificially systems are on par. This is new technology and has the potential to be rolled out at beaches across NZ.
Kotuku
(West Coast)
$4,258
Knowing the location of their Lifeguards in IRBs on the water during Trainings, Patrols and Search and Rescue Operations is an important component in their risk assessments. Digital technology allows for radio tracking, but digital repeater stations are expensive. A system has been developed (free of charge) that can track the club’s VHF radios. TSB’s Grant will fund the technology required to set up this system.
Orewa
(Auckland)
$2,460
The TSB grant will fund a 4x4M pop up gazebo to erect during each patrol over their viewing platform on Orewa Beach. This platform gives a view north and south along Orewa Beach but currently is too hot to be used for any length of time. Lifeguards not on flags duty will survey the entire beach from this location.
Past recipients