Surf Life Saving Illawarra Annual Report & Financial Statement 2017/18 SLSI Branch Executive & Staff SLSI Branch Executive Team (Left to Right): Gunther Enthaler (Director of Education) | Jayson Norris (Director of Lifesaving) | Maria Caldwell (Director of Member Services) | Dan Meehan (Deputy President) | Kevin Starling (Director of Surf Sports) | Karla Erven (Director of Finance) | Peter Evert (President) SLSI Branch Staff: Amy Vella (Executive Officer) | Peter Evert (President) Vale Life Members William ‘Bill’ Seay OAM | Port Kembla | 1929-2017 Bill joined Surf Life Saving in 1947 @ Nobby’s Beach, Newcastle. He was a Life Member of Port Kembla (1964), SLSI (2008) & SLSNSW (2012). He held many positions within SLSI over the years. Bill was a true gentleman with a wonderful sense of humour, always had an ear to listen & had all the time in the world for a chat. Bill had a love for the ocean and a passion for surf life saving. Hank van Stuivenberg | Bellambi | 1946-2018 Hank started his involvement with Surf Life Saving in SA where he was a member of Seacliff & also a foundation member of Hallett’s Cove SLSC. In August 1979, Hank settled in Bellambi and soon joined Bellambi SLSC. This started a commitment to the local community that continued for 39 years. Hank gained additional Association awards & held numerous positions within Bellambi. He was awarded Life Membership at Bellambi in 2000/01 season. He soon gained SLSI Life Membership in 2010 – a thoroughly deserved recognition of his commitment to the Illawarra over a long period. David Denton | Scarborough Wombarra | 1961-2018 Dave gained his Bronze Medallion in April 1991 with the Scarborough Wombarra surf lifesaving club. Dave’s passion was being a mentor and coach to others. Dave was awarded Life Membership of Scarborough Wombarra SLSC in March 2013, an award that he was very proud of. While continuing his work with Scarborough Wombarra SLSC, Dave also joined the Illawarra Branch Board of Examiners and Board of Lifesaving Control continuing to put back into the wider community of the Illawarra. In the 2012 Season, Dave’s contribution to Surf Life Saving in the Illawarra was recognised with the award of Surf Life Saving Illawarra Life Membership. David has had over 25 years involvement in Surf Life Saving making numerous lifelong friends both in the Illawarra and around Australia. President Report It is with great pride that I present the 2017/18 annual summary for Surf Life Saving Illawarra Inc. It was such a special year with the anniversary celebration of the 100th year since formation of the Illawarra Branch. Thank you to you all for your dedication, service and extraordinary efforts to ensure that no lives were lost between the red and yellow flags whilst you were on patrol. It was truly a challenging season, with 9,791 preventative actions 448 first aids, 34 ambulance calls, 353,822 public attendances and 427 rescues across our 17 beaches. To our celebration this year. In November 1917, over 100 years ago six (6) clubs namely Wollongong South, Wollongong North, Corrimal, Bulli, Austinmer, and Helensburgh met at the Bulli Council Chambers and formed what was then known as the South Coast Branch Surf Bathers Association. In 1924 there was a name change to the South Coast Branch and then in 1929 the name changed to as it is known today, Illawarra Branch. It was noteworthy that at our gala Awards of Excellence function amongst our many volunteers in attendance that I was able to read out Letters of Appreciation from: The Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP, Prime Minister of Australia, and The Honourable Bill Shorten MP, Leader of the Opposition. Congratulations to all in Surf Life Saving Illawarra on 100 years of service to our community. Thank you to our Sponsors, our Patrons, Local and Federal Government members for assisting us "to save lives, create great Australians and build better communities". Without your support we would not be able to do what we do. Surf Life Saving Illawarra would like to thank our patrons for their support: - Ms Sharon Bird MP, Federal Member for Cunningham - Mr Gareth Ward MP, Member for Kiama - Mr Ryan Park MP, Member for Keira - Mr Paul Scully MP, Member for Wollongong - Mr Lee Evans MP, Member for Heathcote - Lord Mayor Councillor Gordon Bradbery OAM - Mr Bruce Gordon WIN Television Network Raising adequate funds to effectively manage the expenditure of the Branch continues to be a major focus year on year. Thank you to Mr Ryan Park, Mr Paul Scully, and Mr Lee Evans for your support in our successful application from the NSW Government 2017 Community Building partnership program in obtaining funding to provide the community of the Illawarra a new Duty Officer Support Operations Vehicle. I would like to specifically mention the financial assistance received from: • BlueScopeWIN Community Partners Committee – Surf Life Saving Illawarra BlueScopeWIN Community Partners Branch Championships. • Sydney Water Corporation – Sydney Water Premiership Series. • Coledale Camping Reserve – Surf Lifesaving Illawarra Support Operations. • Mercury Information Security Services – Surf Lifesaving Illawarra Support Operations. I would like to acknowledge the support that DHL provide as a National Major Partner of Surf Life Saving and for their significant uniform sponsorship, enabling uniforms to be provided free of charge to patrolling lifesavers. Also, to Westpac as a National Major Partner of Surf Life Saving for their significant sponsorship towards the Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter Service. Wollongong City Council (WCC) and Surf Life Saving Illawarra (SLSI) continue to manage a very successful relationship through our Liaison meetings. Our monthly meetings ensure that there’s open communication channels between our 17 surf clubs, SLSI and WCC. This year we have discussed: Coastal Dune Management, Surf Club Building maintenance, Surf Club Leases, Patrol Service Level Agreement, Coastal Public Safety Risk Assessment recommendations and Surf Club Renewal and President Report cont.: Refurbishment priorities. Thank you to Mark Bond, Jason Foye and Jasmina Pandesvki for your positive interactions in ensuring that these meetings are success. Thank you to Wollongong City Council for supporting our clubs through payment of a subsidy in return for providing our volunteer lifesaving service. Congratulations to all our Surf Sports athletes that competed so strongly this past season. Thank you to the Sydney Water Surf Series, Warilla Bowls Surf Boat Series and Australian IRB Championships organising committees as these events continued to attract the best competition to the Illawarra. Thank you to the local host clubs on these events Woonona, Bulli and Thirroul. Thankyou also to Bellambi SLSC for hosting the SLSI Junior Development Carnival and to Sandon Point and Bulli for hosting the BlueScopeWIN Community Partners Branch Championships. At our successful 2017/18 Surf Life Saving Illawarra Awards of Excellence night, we were able to recognise our major award winners: Ava Rushton, Helensburgh Stanwell Park SLSC Junior Lifesavers of the Year Sean Ritter, Scarborough Wombarra SLSC Volunteer of the Year Keith Caldwell, Bulli SLSC Club of the Year Bulli SLSC Winner Ted Marshall Memorial Surf Lifesaver of the Anthony O’Donoghue, Coledale SLSC Year Highly Commended Shannon Fox, Wollongong City SLSC This year, an inaugural Youth Volunteer of the Year Award was presented to Tegan Robertson from Bellambi SLSC. Tegan went on to win the inaugural SLSNSW Youth Volunteer of the Year Award. Congratulations to all. In relation to the Financial Statements for the year end ending 30 June 2018: • Grants and Funding were down approximately $60,000 which negatively impacted the income position for the year. • There was a non-recurring, one-off cost for legal fees for Supreme Court litigation commenced against the Branch. The Court action was satisfactorily concluded in December 2017. • The branch was able to reduce expenditure in some areas during the year to help offset the reduction in income and one-off costs. • The transaction for the successful 2017 Community Building partnership program is not reflected in the financial statements. This is due to the lead-time to purchase a new vehicle and the receipt of grant funds in September 2018. • The executive will be working towards seeking more grants in this current period and budgeting to return to surplus as soon as possible. I would like to acknowledge the efforts, great work and dedication of the branch executive Dan Meehan (Deputy President), Kevin Starling (Director of Surf Sports), Karla Erven (Director of Finance), Maria Caldwell (Director of Member Services), Jayson Norris (Director of Lifesaving), and Matthew Theris (Director of Education) – (Matthew stepped down towards the end of the season and was replaced by Gunther Enthaler) and very big thank you to our Executive Officer, Amy Vella. To our individual portfolio advisors in Lifesaving, Surf Sports, Member Services and Education, I say a big thank you for your support. I would like to make special mention of the tireless work and effort of our Media Advisor, Anthony Turner – thank you. I would also like to thank the Surf Life Saving NSW Board of Directors and Staff for their support of the Illawarra branch and for the support afforded to me in my inaugural year as SLSI President. President Report cont.: A special thankyou to the Illawarra Life Members for all their support and guidance that they have provided me throughout the season. I want to add my personal condolences to the families of William ‘Bill’ Seay, Hank Van Stuivenberg and David Denton, as we mourn the loss of three of our Surf Life Saving Illawarra Life Members this year. Congratulations to all volunteer lifesavers, family and supporters for season 2017/18 and I wish everyone all the best for season 2018/19. Peter Evert | President Lifesaving Report 2017/18 Surf Life Saving season for Illawarra was yet again a fantastic result with no lives lost on patrolled beaches during patrol hours.