Thanks to an anonymous donation and the assistance of Good360 and JJ Lawson, Surf Life Saving Clubs across NSW will this week start receiving boxes of free hand sanitiser to assist with preventing the spread of COVID-19.
Good360 is an organisation that matches donated product with the needs of not-for-profits. It recently connected Surf Life Saving NSW with a donation of eight pallets of hand sanitiser which will be distributed across its 11 branches and 129 surf clubs.
The donation has meant a cost saving in the order of $64,000 in keeping frontline volunteer surf lifesavers COVID-safe whilst on patrol.
Not only was the hand sanitiser donated but so was the transportation of the products to Surf Life Saving NSW headquarters in Belrose, Sydney, by the good people at JJ Lawson.
When told about this generous donation, Mike Hallahan of the Far South Coast Branch said, “We would be thrilled to receive the donated hand sanitiser on behalf of our clubs”.
Club Development Officer at Surf Life Saving Sydney, Karen Byron, who accepted the donation on behalf of the Sydney Branch and its 15 clubs said, “How fortunate are we to receive this!”.
Surf Life Saving NSW branches will coordinate the distribution of the hand sanitiser to each of their clubs so they can start making use of it as part of the COVID-19 Safety Plans every surf club is required to have in place.
Chief Executive of Surf Life Saving NSW, Steven Pearce said that the safety of volunteer lifesavers is paramount, particularly because they are frontline first responders in an emergency service charged with the responsibility of lifesaving and coastal aquatic rescue.
“Not only has COVID presented many challenges in terms of our operations, but it has also had a financial impact on our 129 Surf Life Saving clubs who have to comply with new health and safety regulations and also manage member safety.”
President of Surf Life Saving NSW, George Shales OAM, said the donation could not have come at a better time.
“The donated product will provide much needed budget relief and additional personal safety assurance for our clubs. It’s just one less thing they need to worry about and we are delighted and extremely appreciative to be able to facilitate this for them,” George Shales said.
Surf Life Saving NSW encourages all clubs and branches to visit www.good360.org.au and take advantage of the free registration to keep abreast of other donated products that may assist in day-to-day operations.
Surf Life Saving NSW would like to thank the anonymous donor, Good360 and JJ Lawson for the generous donation and for making the distribution of the hand sanitiser possible.
Tuesday 12 January 2021