CHB Swim 4 Lives

 The CHB Swim 4 Lives group is committed to providing support and assistance to improve the swimming ability of all Central Hawke's Bay children by reducing the barriers for schools to access and participate in Deep Water Safety Training

Research shows 80% of Kiwi kids cannot swim well enough to save themselves and in 2014 it was reported that there were 71 preventable drownings in NZ. It is so important that all children in New Zealand learn swimming and water safety as core life skills. 

While most CHB Schools do have their own swimming pools in which they conduct their swimming programs, these are shallow which means that schools must travel to either the Waipawa Pool or Centralines Sports Complex to participate in Deep Water training. This is extremely costly and time consuming for schools, with reduced Swim NZ funding some previously choosing to forego the deepwater session as a result.  

To address these barriers the CHB Swim 4 Lives group continues to work to secure funding to cover the transport costs for all CHB Schools (approx 27 round trips to date) and has supported partners Aqua Management and Swimming NZ in developing a comprehensive and time efficient session plan for CHB schools incorporating swimming education, dry-land classroom activities, education on life jackets, safe boating tips and more (with over 500 children attending over the last 4 years).  In addition to this the group has also funded Learn to Swim classes for children needing additional support, leading to over 150 children now having received lessons to help increase their confidence and ability in the water.

The idea is the brain child of local father Wayne Forrest who attended his children’s primary School swimming sports day and noticed that so many children were struggling in the water.

He later approached AW Parsons Indoor Pool Complex Manager Michele Hayes with his observations and with a want to make a difference in not only the lives of those children within his child’s school but for all children in Central Hawke’s Bay and so a group of key local representatives was fromed and the “Swim for Lives” concept was born.

New Zealand has one of the highest drowning rates in the developed world. Changes in the school curriculum mean that learning to swim is no longer an automatic part of growing up in New Zealand and many families aren’t able to pay for private swimming lessons.

We believe it’s essential that all kiwi kids have the tools they need to be safe in and around the water. So get registered today and help in reducing barriers for Schools and SPLASH, PADDLE or SWIM to help make sure all our kids are learning to swim to survive.