Thousands of children in their red and yellow caps and hot pink rashies are back on the beaches as the iconic Nippers season gets underway for the summer season.
The iconic Nippers beach and safety program for children aged from five to mid-teens runs on most Sundays until the end of February at 15 beaches across the Central Coast from The Lakes to Umina.
It gives children the skills to keep themselves and others safe at the beach, such a being able to identify rips and rescuing someone in trouble.
It’s also a recruitment and training ground for future surf lifesavers who patrol our beaches every weekend.
Two nippers looking forward to the start of the season are brother and sister, 14-year-old Molly and 11-year-old Josh Radic who do Nippers at Shelly Beach Surf Club.
“We’ve made great friends at Nippers and learned so much,” Molly said.
Josh says he’s learned to know if there is a rip or a break and how to get himself out of danger.
Central Coast Surf Life Saving CEO, Jon Harkness, said Nippers learned lifesaving and CPR as well as surf safety, awareness and rescue skills in fun surf sport activities such as catching waves, board paddling, beach sprints and flags.
“It’s a fun and healthy activity for parents and kids to do together and a great way to make new friends,” he said.
Harkness said it took funding and resources to provide surf lifesaving services and programs such as Nippers and the 20-year partnership between Central Coast Surf Life Saving and Newcastle Permanent was vital to its programs such as Nippers.
“As well as program funding support, Newcastle Permanent supplies surf lifesaving clubs with mandatory hot pink Nippers rashies to make the program more affordable for families,” he said.
Branch manager, Robyn Black, said Newcastle Permanent was more than happy to support the Nippers which was a vital community program offering personal development skills for young people, helps make beaches safer and benefits everyone in the community.
“The young people I meet from Nippers programs are impressive and confident because it gives them teamwork and leadership skills,” she said.
Every year, Newcastle Permanent invests almost $1.5M into local communities through its partnerships, employee donations, volunteering and fundraising programs, including support for every surf lifesaving club from the Central Coast to the Queensland border.
To find your nearest Nippers program visit www.slscc.com.au.
All clubs accept Active Kids Program vouchers for payment of registration fees.
Sue Murray