Apollo Projects helping to keep Stratford children safe in the water

Apollo Projects chief executive Paul Lloyd says it's important to help the communities they've worked in. Photo / Supplied

The project leads behind Wai O Rua – Stratford Aquatic Centre are ensuring tamariki using the pool know how to do so safely.

Apollo Projects, specialists in the construction business, led the 18-month construction and are using part of the profits to provide free water safety lessons to Stratford tamariki.

Apollo Projects chief executive Paul Lloyd says helping the community they’ve worked in is important to them.

“We believe we need to help the communities we work in, we want to leave a mark, feel like part of the community and give back. To do that we provide funds to the area which could be scholarships and funds for tournaments and equipment. In this case we are providing free water safety lessons.”

Funding has been allocated for the lessons, with the lessons to begin in the first school term of 2023. He says Wai O Rua – Stratford Aquatic Centre is a real asset to the community, and he is pleased to have been involved with the project.

“I was involved in the design. There is nothing quite like community facilities and the joy and benefit they bring to the community. We like to be involved in the community we’ve worked in so we find providing free water safety lessons is fitting, as we have constructed the pool, and are now ensuring the young users are safe.”

In the past Apollo Projects have supported South Taranaki children with their swimming, by providing free water safety lessons at the Hāwera Aquatic Centre.

In 2019 the company provided 250 children from 10 South Taranaki schools with water safety lessons.

“In place of corporate gifts, we decided to provide something more valuable- a way to teach children how to be safe in and around water. We’ve had a few delays because of Covid-19 but in 2022 we delivered water safety lessons to a total of 244 pupils across 10 South Taranaki Schools. We’ve provided lessons to 1500 children across the country since 2019.”

The funding covers the cost of the lessons as well as the transport to and from the pools.

He says providing the lessons is humbling.

“These free lessons help all sorts of people, it’s a fantastic thing to do and the reward is knowing we’re helping people keep safe in different situations involving water. It’s all about providing the opportunity for children to learn water safety. A lot of children may have never been to the pools, or may not know too much about water safety. It’s important they know how to keep themselves and others safe in and around water.”