Warrington to reap benefits of new Kubota RTV

Lifeguards at Warrington Surf Life Saving Club are about to start reaping the benefits of a 4-wheel drive utility vehicle through the generous funding of Pub Charity and an equipment trial program proudly supported by CB Norwood Distributors Ltd New Zealand and their local Kubota dealers.

For the last two seasons, Surf Life Saving New Zealand has worked with the support of Kubota in the trial of two side-by-side Kubota vehicles.

In the 2012/13 season, Raglan and Papamoa were the lucky recipients and last season, they went to Pauanui and North Beach in Christchurch.

This year, clubs were once again offered the chance to trial an RTV1140 and Warrington SLSC, along with Fitzroy, was selected as the lucky recipients of the trial.

This morning, Warrington was formally presented with an RTV1140 from Norwood Mosgiel to help in their efforts to save lives on the beach.

Warrington Surf Life Saving Club Captain Pru Casey says the use of the Kubota at Warrington Beach this summer paves the way for safer and more efficient patrols as well as tasks such as accessing the beach front with IRB rescue equipment safely and efficiently.

"Growing concerns regarding the use of quad bikes means that the loan of this vehicle will provide a state of the art vehicle that is multipurpose and able to transport both IRB driver sand crew quickly to the beach when needed.

"We expect to use this daily as part of patrols along the three kilometre beach of Warrington to gain access to the popular but treacherous channel where last year 30 school students were rescued by lifeguards. We are proud to have been considered for the trial of a side by side vehicle in Otago," she says.

Norwood Mosgiel Branch Manager Tony Mobbs says the dealership is proud to supply, on behalf of Kubota New Zealand, the RTV to Warrington for this season. "It's great to be able to help out a local club as well as a fantastic cause. The RTV1140 is a reliable machine and we're sure it will help them to undertake their fantastic work on our local beach," he says.

For more information about Surf Life Saving New Zealand and how you can help to get more of these important resources to your local surf lifeguard community click here or for more information about Kubota dealers visit www.kubota.co.nz.

Warrington Club Captain Pru Casey shakes hands with Norwood Farm Machinery Centre Sales Consultant Brad Reece,  as the club receieves the Kubota vehicle. SLSNZ Club Development Officer for Otago Sam Clutterbuck is on board along with Warrington Lifeguard Coordinator Tarn Neuman and Lifegaurds Charlie Cox, Arthur and Charlotte Ibbotson.

For more information, please contact:

Lisa Honeybone, Media & Communications Specialist, SLSNZ
Phone 09 303 9335 or 0276 488 823
Email lisa.honeybone@surflifesaving.org.nz