New donation technology to boost Northern surf clubs

 

Members of the public wanting to donate to surf life saving in the Northern Region will be able to do so with a flick of the wrist shortly.
Surf Life Saving Northern Region’s new fundraising arm, the Lifesavers Foundation, will shortly begin rolling out a series of ‘point tap’ donation machines at popular cafes and other high foot-traffic retail premises in the region. 

The Lifesavers Foundation was set up earlier this year to raise funds for the region’s surf clubs which are facing significant costs, says Foundation chairman Chris Tennant-Brown. 

“Clubs are facing not just the ongoing costs of equipment maintenance and replacement, and running costs such as fuel for vehicles and outboards, but also, in many cases, facility upgrades and repairs for clubrooms that may now be 40 or more years old.”

Chris says individual clubs themselves work hard to fundraise locally but are finding it increasingly difficult to pay the bills. 

“We aim to take that burden off them and allow them to focus on their core activities: recruiting, training and supporting their lifeguards – and keeping the beachgoing public safe.”

Foundation chief executive Dave Lockwood says 50 of the countertop machines will be installed at high foot-traffic locations throughout the Northern Region over the next few months.  The units, which are imported from Australia, are set at a single donation value, he says. 

“We’re setting them at $2 – when you tap your card, that’s all you pay, though you can tap more than once if you want to give more.”

Dave says the Foundation hopes to raise around $250,000 in 2018 for Surf Life Saving Northern Region (SLSNR) and its 17 clubs through the new machines and other fundraising initiatives. 

The initial goal is to fund a $200,000 upgrade of the Digital Radio Network (DRN) connecting the 17 clubs to SLSNR’s communications hub, Surf Com, at the Marine Rescue Centre in Mechanics Bay, Auckland. 

“The DRN is to lifesavers what the 111 emergency telephone number is to the public and emergency services.”

SLSNR chief executive Matt Williams says the Foundation will fill a vital place in the funding system for the movement in the region. 

“As many people are now aware, the funding model for surf life saving isn’t coping with the demands on our lifeguards and we needed to find other ways to meet our costs. 

“By creating the Foundation we’ve set up a new channel for funds for the clubs which will better meet their needs. That means we can devote our other funding sources, such as the local government grants we receive, to the broader costs of running surf life saving in our region, including the paid lifeguard service and our education, sports, training and another programmes.”

“As many people are now aware, the funding model for surf life saving isn’t coping with the demands on our lifeguards and we needed to find other ways to meet our costs. 

Matt Williams , SLSNR chief executive