Warburton Swim for Fruit continues to garner community support
Children in the Warburton community have immersed themselves in all the activities of the Go For 2&5 Swim for Fruit program offered throughout the most recent pool season, getting their daily dose of physical activity and healthy snacks.
The remote Goldfields Aboriginal community, which boasts a population of 576 people, have taken to the opportunity to learn water and lifesaving skills this season with the incentivised healthy afternoon tea of fruit and vegetables offered by the Swim for Fruit program. Taking place at the Warburton Swimming Pool in the Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku, the program has successfully been delivered by Pool Manager, Steve Girschik, for the past couple of years helping to connect children to aquatic activities such as water polo and competitive swimming.
With previous research finding that Aboriginal Australians are 3.6 times more likely to drown than non-Aboriginal Australians as well as experiencing higher rates of diseases, the Swim for Fruit program has been integral in facilitating an increased uptake of healthier lifestyles in remote and regional communities. Encouraging a healthy lifestyle through promoting physical activity by swimming laps to earn a healthy afternoon tea, the program, funded by Healthway, has provided positive health impacts to communities such as Warburton.
Additional social benefits have also been identified, with communities embracing the No School, No Pool Policy to encourage physical activity amongst children, this had led to an increase in both school attendance and positive student behaviour. Students thoroughly enjoy getting to participate in a range of fun and engaging water sports and activities with their peers, whilst getting educated in water safety.
It's encouraging to see continued community support for programs offered by Royal Life Saving WA, including the ongoing Swim for Fruit program, in the Warburton community. For more information on the Swim for Fruit program and its impact, visit the link below.
