Beach safety talks for both Syrian refugees and locals

On Sunday, 26 August we hosted two special events to promote surf awareness, prevent drownings and involve new members of our local community. You might remember that the money for this project was raised last year by a group of paddlers from Newport and North Cronulla Surf Clubs (“Strokes that Matter”). They paddled surf skis from Victoria to Tasmania just after Aussies 2017!

Here’s how our special guest, Rob Stokes MP, summed up our morning session:

I am constantly amazed at the beautiful people in our community. Newport Surf Life Saving Club put on a lunch and seminar on beach safety for local refugee families supported by local church and surf club families. All of the Syrian refugees were from an Armenian background and really, really nice people. Proud to be Australian! Thanks so much to Rob and Julie Emerson and Jan Proudfoot from Newport SLSC, Dr Rob Brander from UNSW and Catholic and Anglican churches from across the northern beaches.

Then at 3pm approximately 90 people attended a second Science of the Surf presentation. Here’s some great feedback posted on Dr Rip’s Science of the Surf Facebook page:

Thank you so much for today, having grown up on the beach I thought I knew a lot and learnt a lot today as did my son.

Stay tuned for our next surf awareness and drowning prevention project.