DHL Safer Beaches winners announced

The Taranaki Callout Squad is about to receive $1000 thanks to the DHL Safer Beaches Campaign and social media user Nikki Carmichael.

Every summer, thousands of people visit Kiwi beaches and keenly share their experiences on social networks and DHL harnessed this trend for social good by using the world's fastest growing language - Emoji - to remind New Zealanders of the importance of swimming between the red and yellow flags throughout summer.

DHL called on beachgoers to update their social media status with the swimmer emoji between two flags together with the hashtag #DHLSaferBeaches. For every social media update containing the designated emoji and hashtag, DHL donated $1 to Surf Life Saving New Zealand (SLSNZ). 

Social media users were also entered into the draw to win a $1,000 Prezzy card plus a $1,000 donation to a Surf Life Saving Club of their choice.

The posts were judged on the basis of creativity and using the swimmer emoji together with #DHLSaferBeaches and Nikki's image of lifeguards providing event safety at the Capital Classic Ocean Swim was selected as the winner.

Nikki says her partner is a lifeguard and she is in training to become one herself and she is delighted to have won.

"Surf Life Saving does an incredible job at keeping our beaches safe so my friends, family and community can enjoy the wonderful coastline of New Zealand. Without DHL, I'm sure the service Surf Life Saving gives to people like me wouldn't be as good as it is," she says.

Nikki has decided to donate the $1,000 towards the Taranaki Callout Squad, which is made up of Surf Life Saving members from the East End, Fitzroy and New Plymouth Old Boys Surf Life Saving Clubs.

"This is a wonderful service which includes some of the best Surf Lifeguards in Taranaki and they are an asset to the region, she says.

"The $1,000 Prezzy Card is such an awesome thing to win. At 34, I'm training towards becoming a Surf Lifeguard and some new togs and wetsuit will help enormously towards getting my swimming under the required time."

The DHL Safer Beaches campaign was fronted by SLSNZ ambassador Jamie McDell and involved activations at Piha and Pauanui during February.

For more information, please contact:

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