Beach safety boost
Keeping the tradition safe.
Woodside has increased its support for Surf Life Saving WA through the Woodside Nippers Program, which teaches beach safety to youngsters across Western Australia.
A day at the beach is a weekend tradition for many young families during summer, and as a major partner of Surf Life Saving Western Australia (SLSWA) Woodside is working to keep those beaches even safer with the Woodside Nippers Program.
This beach safety program for children ages 5 to 12 is delivered by WA’s 31 surf life saving clubs (SLSC) throughout the summer and along the coast – from Esperance to Broome.
The new partnership will see Woodside extend its support of the iconic volunteer-based organisation to the value of $5 million over five years.
SLSWA president Craig Smith-Gander says he is delighted with the company’s decision to not only continue but increase its existing support of his organisation and its more than 21,000 members across the state.
“Woodside has been a partner of Surf Life Saving WA for nearly a decade, during which the company has supported our lifesavers of today through the Lifesaver Safety Program and, more recently, through our network of live beach cameras,” says Craig.
“The opportunity to grow this partnership across our Nippers program means Woodside will also be supporting our lifesavers of the future, which is extremely significant.”
The program teaches the essentials of surf awareness and beach safety, helping families enjoy the iconic WA coastal lifestyle in a safer manner.
It runs between October and March (May to September for Broome SLSC).
Being a Woodside Nipper is all about keeping each other safe, making new friends and having fun.
For Woodside, it is not just about promoting the brand; it’s also about extending our company’s strong safety culture beyond the workplace and teaching kids at a young age about the importance of safety in all aspects of life.
Woodside chief executive officer Peter Coleman says the company is proud to sponsor the Woodside Nippers in WA.
“Through our new partnership with Nippers we will be helping to train young people to become the lifesavers of the future,” Peter notes.
“Volunteering is part of the culture at Woodside and we also wanted to show our support for the thousands of volunteers who give up their time to run the Nippers programs, which help keep our communities and beaches safe.”
The new partnership will give significant direct support to the WA surf clubs and volunteers running the programs through the provision of program safety equipment and resources.
It will also provide every child with a new Woodside Nippers uniform, making the programs even more accessible to WA families wishing to join.
“The aim is to teach the core principles of lifesaving to prevent coastal drownings – an essential skill in Australia,” Ben points out.
“Thanks to Woodside’s generous support, this program will go from strength to strength.”
Woodside Nippers registrations are now open at nipperswa.com.au.
Read the full Q3 2019 issue of Trunkline here.
