Royal Life Savings' NSW SwimVAC program (supported by Bendigo Bank) overcame COVID-19 challenges with our hard-working Swimming and Water Safety team successfully delivering the 2-week water education program during the January school holidays.

A huge thank you to our major partner Bendigo Bank, and our supportive aquatic industry who banded together to help over 1200 children complete their lessons in 39 NSW regional and remote facilities.

(The first image features local representatives Tim, Rochelle and Gaynor from Bendigo Bank with participants at Jindera Swimming Pool)

Children aged from as young as 3 to 14 years old, of all skill levels, learned new skills and further developed their swimming and water safety skills.

“This is such a valuable program, at an affordable price and the skills taught (including lifesaving skills, not just swimming technique) was absolutely beyond expectation. Can’t recommend this program highly enough. Thank you.” - Parent participant

“Seeing the children's confidence grow over the period of the lessons is amazing. By the end of the fortnight my daughter had developed skills to help her swim freestyle for 25m without touching the side of the pool.” - Parent participant

An industry-wide call out for Swim Teachers showed the dedication to help deliver this vital program.

“As an experienced Swim Teacher, I was thrilled when the opportunity to work with Royal Life Saving at Cumnock and Yeoval Pool. To be able to teach children vital life skills in these regional communities who often miss regular swimming lessons was something I could not turn down. Going to work every day and seeing the kids improve their swimming skills, confidence in and around water and always seeing a big smile on their face is a memory I will always hold close to my heart.” said Georgina Ryan, RLSNSW representative.

Our partner, Bendigo Bank, strongly advocated for the program, understanding the importance of the program to go ahead in the safest way possible.

“With people spending more time around the pool, at the beach or the river, there is an increased need to ensure our children enjoy the water safely and reduce the risk of drowning. With COVID-19 impacts, many of our local pools have been shut and unable to facilitate swimming lessons, so we knew there was a need to help support the SwimVAC program across NSW”.

“With 294 people drowning in Australian waterways in 2021, this figure could be dramatically reduced through early water education. Bendigo Bank is proud of its commitment to customers and communities, we strive to feed into prosperity, not off it,” said Brendan Hendry, State Manager NSW-ACT, Bendigo Bank.

Royal Life Saving NSW is working towards the next SwimVAC program in 2023!

Any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our team via email: swimandsurvive@royalnsw.com.au