BHP has renewed its partnership as Principal Community Partner of Royal Life Saving WA to help reduce drowning statistics and build resilient communities across Western Australia.

Building on the success of this project, BHP and Royal Life Saving have recently signed a new partnership agreement, which will see BHP provide a further $1.5 million over two years to fund a range of swimming and water safety education and youth employment programs across the regions.

This partnership will allow Royal Life Saving to deliver targeted swimming, water safety and drowning prevention education throughout Port Hedland, Newman, Leinster, Kalgoorlie and Kambalda, as well as the remote Aboriginal communities of Jigalong, Yandeyarra. 

Statistics show that people are 1.8 times more likely to drown in regional and remote WA, with Aboriginal people at greatest risk. Aboriginal children drown at almost double the rate of non-Aboriginal children in our state. For this reason, many of the programs to be run during the next two years will target these communities.

Royal Life Saving WA CEO Peter Leaversuch says these programs are crucial as we work to prevent drowning in these at-risk areas.

“Swimming is an intrinsic part of the Australian way of life, which means that Swim and Survive lessons are not only essential – they are lifesaving. 

Building swimming and water safety skills from young children right through to adults is vital work and the single most important investment we can make as a community to prevent drowning.”

BHP Head of Corporate Affairs WA Meath Hammond said the new partnership agreement was testament to the success of the long-term association shared by BHP and Royal Life Saving Society WA.

“We’ve been working together for nearly 20 years to deliver vital programs to regional and remote communities, training lifesavers and creating safer places. Together we have made a real difference to people across the State.

“We’re proud to continue to support this important work, from swimming and water safety improvements to ongoing support for physical health, education and employment in Western Australia.”