Whitmore Bay SLSC is a charity that aims to equip its members with lifesaving and first aid skills, make lifeguard provision for the community and focuses on youth development. In order for us to do this, we will endeavour to:
- Equip members with lifesaving skills through lifeguard training programmes including graduation in beach lifeguard and first aid qualifications;
- Motivate members to be actively involved in club activities and be inclusive to wider community;
- Develop competitive lifesaving skills; and
- Encourage healthy lifestyle through education and training
Our club offers every child an opportunity to develop confidence and skills in and out of the water with the added bonus of having fun along the way. Children can join the nipper’s section from age 7. By age 12, children are ideally placed to continue with their lifesaving activities and move onto the junior section and then onto the senior section at age 16, and lifeguard awards, after this phase our senior section is made up of any club member aged 17 years and over, they have the opportunity to compete in regular training sessions, coach and pass on their experience and compete in a number of competitions around the UK coastline.
Our training and competition events vary during the winter and summer months, throughout the summer we train between three and five times a week, training consists of physical beach and water training and theory based beach and water safety and first aid.
During the winter months we undertake land based training such as circuit training and running, but we crucially spend 3 hours a week (this is spilt across nippers, junior’s and senior /coaches) in a pool, building on swimming endurance and board rescue technical skills.
The club is supported and staffed by a team of hard working volunteers from our senior section to ensure our Nipper’s and Junior’s have the best training and skills under accredited and professional supervision. Additional volunteers consist of parents whose enthusiasm for the education and wellbeing of our children at the beach or pool within the Surf Lifesaving movement is essential for the Club.
Throughout the summer months qualified members offer a supporting role to the RNLI, this can lead to progression for youth members into paid professional lifeguard role.
Lifesaving provides an excellent opportunity for young people to learn new skills, become more confident and maximise their own, unique potential. As a core objective of Whitmore Bay SLSC, the club aims to facilitate youth development through the Nipper and Junior sections.
The funding has made an enormous difference in obtaining craft and training resources for club members, this will enhance lifesaving skills, increase health, fitness and wellbeing, supporting the community, making friends, being active and enjoying the beach in a safe environment. Without support from the YMCA training opportunities would be restricted and limit the life skills that can be learnt through lifesaving.