With the great success of their Water Safety programme in the first school holidays of 2023 staff at Wai Splash decided it should become a regular holiday feature.
But it needs more funding to continue.
The first was sponsored by the Heald family from the proceeds of their successful sunflower selling in March and there was enough funding left over to fund the second programme in the first week of these holidays. Appropriately, it was called the Sunflower School Holiday Programme.
The numbers very quickly filled up once advertised and 25 keen 8-14-year-olds turned up in the first week of the July school holidays, ready to enjoy the four-day programme.
The programme was devised by staff members Stephanie Duff and Kaiya Haitana-Butcher and covered every aspect of water safety from staying afloat to helping others survive with flotation devices in the pools.
Because this was a slightly older group, this time more advanced swimming skills were taught.
Stephanie says the children absolutely loved being in the pool and the only time they willingly got out of it was lunchtime!
Of course, there were classroom lessons dealing with appropriate behaviours in different circumstances like dealing with waves and rips in the sea, falling off boats, scrambling out of slippery rock pools, coping with the current in rivers and even protocol in the larger aquatic centres.
These also involved craft activities, one being a challenge to design your dream swimming pool with all its safety features.
The bonus treat on Friday was watching Cars 2 at the Dannevirke Regent Theatre.
Intermingled amongst the water- and classroom-based activities were fun events outside - when weather permitted - like softball, dodgeball and even a duathlon. The programme wound up with a special treat on Friday, watching the movie Cars 2 at the Regent Theatre.
Unfortunately, funding has run out for next holidays and Wai Splash would be very pleased to receive offers to help keep the programme free for kids and to purchase some essential equipment such as a laptop, projector and screen to help with the classroom tuition.
Contact Waisplash on 06 374 7772 or Stephanie on 027 512 5490 if you can help.
