"Horrendous" drowning statistics spurred Harcourts Advantage Realty Tauranga to take action.
Joint managing director of Harcourts Advantage Realty Tauranga, Simon Martin, said the company would give 40 sets of swimming lessons to children of families who are unable to afford it.
"We live in a part of the country with a beautiful coastline, and the sea and swimming play a big part in everybody's lives, but we were really disturbed by just how many drownings still happen," Mr Martin said. "The way to help became obvious very quickly, helping to make sure those kids who might otherwise miss out, could have access to swimming lessons," Mr Martin said. With that in mind, Harcourts Advantage Realty Tauranga, working with the Ministry of Social Development, donated swimming lessons to Tauranga children aged from 5 to 11 years old.
The lessons will be run for 20 girls and 20 boys over two weeks in January next year. "By giving away these lesson we hope we can help make a difference to New Zealand's worrying record on water safety," Mr Martin said.
The child's family would either hold a Community Services Card or be working with Work and Income or another social development agency. The lessons were being offered with Tauranga's Liz van Welie Swim School.
