Hunter Surf Life Saving Raises the Flags for a New Season
- intouch Magazine
- Oct 1
- 2 min read
As the weather heats up and locals prepare to enjoy another blissful summer, Hunter Surf Life Saving welcomed another season with its annual Raising of the Flags ceremony.
The highly anticipated event took place at 9:30am on Friday 26 September, at Dixon Park Beach.
Hunter Surf Life Saving is a vital part of the coastal community and has been supported by Newcastle Permanent with a longstanding partnership of over 40 years. The partnership showcases the shared commitment to the wellbeing and safety of our communities.
Newcastle Permanent Head of Customer Lending Greg Hooper was proud to continue the partnership as the flags are raised for another season.
"The raising of the flags signifies an important time on our calendar, and we are honoured to have partnered with Hunter Surf Life Saving for more than four decades," Mr Hooper said.
"We're excited to continue this partnership with Hunter Surf Life Saving and help ensure the sustainability of this service through recruitment, training, recognition and retention of local life savers.
"In the warmer months, time spent at the beach is something that many of us look forward to and the Surf Life Savers play an important role in keeping beachgoers safe.”
Hunter Surf Life Saving President Henry Scruton ESM, highlighted the importance of vigilance this summer, acknowledging the support of Newcastle Permanent in keeping local beachgoers safe.
"Over the course of the summer, our volunteers took over 82,000 preventative measures, clocking up more than 65,000 patrol hours, which is no small feat," Mr Scruton said.
"Our lifesavers are essential to help ensure safety, with more than 858,000
visitors to our beaches last summer and more expected this season.
"We are extremely grateful for the support from Newcastle Permanent, who helps us provide essential equipment and resources that are needed to continue to protect our coastal communities."
As more people head to the coast as the weather heats up, HSLS maintains their dedication to keeping beachgoers safe. The region is well-prepared for another safe surf season with 13 Surf Life Saving clubs stretching from Tea Gardens-Hawks Nest to Catherine Bay.
Newcastle Permanent invests almost $1.5 million into local communities each year through its partnerships, employee donations, volunteering and fundraising programs.
For those interested in joining the Surf Life Saving community, more information can be found at https://www.hsls.org.au/.
