Tasmanians can now feel safer in and around the water at Kingston Beach thanks to a grant from the RACT Community Fund.
The fund provided a grant to the Kingston Beach Surf Life Saving Club (KBSLSC) for new first aid training equipment in the lead-up to the opening of the season in December 2018.
The KBSLSC, which has 280 members, half of whom are nippers (children aged five to 15 years), provides an important service to the community, as well as people enjoying Kingston Beach in and out of the water.
KBSLSC members actively patrol, compete, provide water safety and call out search & rescue primarily within the Kingborough and Huon regions.
KBSLSC’s Philippa Loray thanked the RACT for the grant, which would assist to ensure the club’s 70 patrolling members were well-practiced in their life saving training.
“We can also now offer more age-relevant foundational lessons in understanding the body and first aid training for our 140 nippers,” she said.
“For example, the club has 30 five-year-old’s, so with more engaging interaction and new equipment, we will be able to give them a good start in their surf life – saving journey.”
The RACT Community Fund offers small grants twice a year to non-profit community groups to assist with local, community building projects.
RACT Executive General Manager, Membership and Community, Stacey Pennicott said the organisation was keen to support local clubs and associations through the fund to recognise the role they play in their respective communities, often with very small budgets and through volunteers.
“The RACT has assisted more than 200 Tasmanian groups through the Community Fund with grants of up to $2000,” Stacey said.
The next round of the RACT Community Fund will open in March this year.
Pictured Olivia Rule, the RACT’s Stacey Pennicott, Olivia Killingsworth, Kingston Beach Surf lifesaving Club’s Philippa Loray and Bella Birchall.
