WOMEN IN BUSINESS: Water safety Ange's priority

Since she moved to Papamoa with her family three years ago Ange Johnston's life has been based around swimming and the Papamoa Surf Life Saving club.
Her sons Ben and Sam are keen swimmers, and for the past five years she's been up at 5am every day to take one or both of them swimming.
"I just started off like every other mum, you take your kids to swimming," she said.
But it's no surprise that Ange decided to become a swimming teacher - a job she's "absolutely in love with".
She teaches "learn to swim" at Swimtec in Papamoa, and is also a qualified volunteer lifeguard, patrolling on Papamoa Beach.
Her latest venture combines her passion for kids, the beach and swimming.
Beach Kidz is a new beach programme designed for pre-schoolers aged between 2 and 4. It aims to encourage confidence and surf safety awareness at the beach for toddlers and their parents.
The concept for Beach Kidz was born as Ange chatted to parents at her swimming lessons who wanted to do something at the beach with their younger children.
While the surf life saving club's Nippers programme caters for 5-year-olds, there was nothing available for younger kids, she said.
Beach Kidz was not about learning to swim, but about beach safety, she said.
"It's about preventing people from drowning, learning the basics, beach safety, surf awareness, learning where the safest place to swim is.
"We have got a range of activities. All the activities are based around skill-based learning - body co-ordination, surf awareness, being sun smart, sprint races, obstacle courses.
"The programmes are set up by age group - the 2-year-olds are at a basic skill level, and the 4-year-olds will be introduced a little bit more to what they do at Nippers.
"We will introduce some of these activities, so that when they come through as a Nipper they have got the basics."
Beach Kidz involves parents learning with their kids, Ange said.
"They are in amongst it as well, they are picking up things they need to learn to keep their kids safe the beach.
"We teach them to look for the calm spots - parents will think 'that's a nice calm spot, we'll go there' but it's a rip.
"The parents have got that chance to do something with their 2-year-olds - it's their first ever sport."
She aims to see 160 children go through the Beach Kidz programme each week, with the help of two teachers and herself in a supervising role.
Although Beach Kidz is her new focus, Ange remains passionate about teaching pre-schoolers foundation aquatic skills in the pool.
When the children achieve basic skills, such as moving in and through the water, entering the water safely and submerging the whole body under the water, they will become more comfortable in the water.
"These skills can be very difficult for young children, especially if they are entering the water for the first time.
"As a swim instructor you need to have a lot of patience and be able to gain their trust - this will more likely allow the child to enjoy the experience."
The biggest reward of the job was watching children achieve those skills for the first time, she said.
"Seeing how proud they are of themselves is just fantastic. Once they get to that stage, there is no holding them back."
Ange, who is married to Rob, describes Papamoa Surf Life Saving Club as her "second home".
"We don't have a sea view, we come here for our sea view," she said.
She helps out at the surf club whenever she can - she is on the board of directors, patrols the beach, and even competes in the masters section of competitions.
Surf life saving was a great way to be involved in your children's lives, she said.
"I love doing everything with my kids and their mates. I spend a lot of time with the teenagers, helping mentor them.
"Papamoa is really good family club. A lot of our lifeguards are parents coming through and doing the same as me.
"It's a chance for us to spend quality time with our kids, and them not to be embarrassed of it because it's a family club."
For bookings email beachkidz@xtra.co.nz