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Swimming New Zealand’s principal sponsor, Apollo Projects, is getting behind SwimSAFER Week 2022 (21st-27th November), encouraging other companies to join them in funding swimming lessons for New Zealand children.

Apollo Projects is highly committed to this important cause, funding more than 1500 swimming lessons for Kiwi children in the past two years.

Apollo Projects Chief Executive Paul Lloyd notes “It is vital our young people have the opportunity to take part in swimming lessons.

“Building top quality new pool facilities for communities, and then providing lifesaving water skills for children in those communities, is a really important part of what we do.”

Organised by SWIM Coaches and Teachers New Zealand, SwimSAFER Week advocates for more children to access swimming lessons as part of its Swim-It-Forward campaign, where people can donate lessons to children. Research has shown 48% of New Zealand children are not currently in lessons, with a major reason being due to affordability reasons.

Swimming NZ Chief Executive Steve Johns says his organisation is fully behind SwimSAFER Week 2022 and the drive to increase the number of children receiving swimming lessons.

Johns adds “with the support of businesses like Apollo Projects, that get behind Swimming New Zealand and the funding of individual swimming lessons, more children will learn to swim and be safer in the water, ultimately saving lives. We encourage other businesses to follow suit.”

Apollo Projects specialises in the construction of award-winning swimming pool facilities – most recently Wai O Rua - Stratford Aquatic Centre and Hawke's Bay Regional Aquatic Centre. It recently won gold in the tourism and leisure category of the New Zealand Commercial Project Awards for Te Pou Toetoe: Linwood Pool.

Auckland SwimTastic founder and Chief Executive Mark Bone, who is also a former National Olympic Swimming Coach for New Zealand, says they see first-hand the difference swimming lessons can make to the lives of young people in Aotearoa.

Bone adds “So many New Zealand activities are built around the water, so it is essential our tamariki develop the skills to swim safely and confidently.

“These are skills we need our young people to learn at an early age and money should not be a barrier to this lifesaving education.

“We are delighted SwimSAFER Week 2022, along with Apollo Projects, is raising awareness about water safety and proactively getting behind this important cause that saves lives.”  

For more information, visit www.apolloprojects.co.nz/, swimsafer.org.nz/ and www.swimmingnz.org/

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