Harcourts Tauranga’s Christmas present to Kiwi kids

9 December, 2015

New Zealand’s alarming drowning statistics have prompted Harcourts Advantage Realty Ltd in Tauranga to offer a special Christmas present to the region’s disadvantaged kids.

The company is offering 40 sets of swimming lessons to 20 boys and 20 girls in Tauranga whose families might otherwise not be able to afford to have them learn to swim. The lessons are being offered in association with Tauranga’s Liz van Welie Swim School.

Harcourts Advantage Realty Tauranga director Simon Martin says his team were so concerned about the number of drownings in New Zealand so far this year, they wanted to somehow do something to “We live in a part of the country with a beautiful coastline, and the sea and swimming play a big part in everybody’s lives – but we were really disturbed by just how many drownings still happen.

“With that in mind, the way to help became obvious very quickly: helping to make sure those kids who might otherwise miss out, could have access to swimming lessons,” he says.

New Zealand has one of the highest drowning rates in the OECD. Water Safety NZ and Drownbase figures as of 30 November 2015 show that 84 people have drowned so far this year.

“Learning to swim should be a compulsory part of every Kiwi kid’s upbringing. Sadly, that’s not always possible. By giving away these lesson we hope we can help make a difference to New Zealand’s worrying record on water safety,” Mr Martin says.

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