Pupils get summer surf smart

FOOD SMART: Kai Iwi pupil Lexie McDougal displays her food safety brochure at Mowhanau Beach, supported by classmates and teachers Carrissa Brown and Jenny Foote.PHOTO/STUART MUNRO

Kai Iwi School pupil Lexie McDougal contacted the Chronicle to talk about the summer safety brochures her class have been working on and said they would be delivering them to Mowhanau Holiday Park.

Lexie, 9, arrived with her classmates and teachers carrying a bunch of the brochures and a wall chart to present to park manager Robyn Abbot and there was a display stand at the ready.

The information will be available in the lounge room at Mowhanau for holidaymakers to browse and learn more about how to keep themselves safe. Kai Iwi deputy principal Jenny Foote said each child in the class had taken a different safety aspect to research and designed their own illustrated pamphlet.

"We made the wall chart first and looked at all the different hazards that people need to watch out for during summer and we were really impressed with the list the students came up with."

The information contained in the brochures covers everything from jellyfish stings to food safety and keeping safe in vehicles while travelling to beaches and other holiday destinations.

Mrs Abbot said summer holiday makers at Mowhanau are generally pretty sensible, but the brochures will be well received.

"The children have done a really good job and we will be proud to display them," she said.

Wanganui surf lifesavers have been getting in to shape and brushing up on their rescue skills to start patrolling at Mowhanau and Castlecliff beaches from next week.