ONE of Port Stephens biggest businesses is getting behind local surf life saving volunteers.

Australia’s biggest aluminium smelter is joining forces with the district’s largest surf lifesaving club in a sponsorship arrangement that will benefit both the club and the broader community.

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Tomago Aluminium will sponsor Cooks Hill Surf Lifesaving Club to the tune of $5000, with $3000 earmarked for uniforms for the club’s 140-strong junior squads competing in state and national events and $2000 to fund training equipment used by younger club members.

The financial assistance for Cooks Hill SLSC’s junior programs is seen as yet another way in which Tomago Aluminium can support the wider community, according to Tomago Aluminiums Communications Advisor, Katie Burns.

“We support a number of regional groups across a broad range.

“We like helping a wide variety of community groups because we feel our support can really make a difference,” Ms Burns said.

In the past 35 years Tomago employees have contributed more than a million dollars for local charities with a similar amount raised for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service.

Cooks Hill SLSC has some 1250 members including 600 Nippers.

Around 250 members are actively involved in regular voluntary surf patrols watching over Bar Beach every Saturday, Sunday, and public holiday from early October through to the end of April.

Surf Club President Michael Clancy said the club prides itself on its high levels of training, patrolling and serving the region.

“Cooks Hill Surf Lifesaving Club takes great pride in fostering the youth element in surf lifesaving and this money will go a long way towards helping us achieve our goals,” Michael said.

“We are extremely appreciative of the support Tomago Aluminium is giving us with this highly valued sponsorship.

“We have a large and successful Nippers program with hundreds of children participating each summer and funding like this is critical both for the club environment and for the broader community,” he added.

Tomago Aluminium CFO Stacey Sleeman said that with 85 percent of Australia’s population living within 50 kilometres of the coastline, connecting with Cooks Hill SLSC seemed like a natural fit.

“Here in the Hunter we love the beach.

“We spend a lot of time in the water and, thanks to surf lifesaving clubs like Cooks Hill, we are able to do so in great safety.

“The junior members, the Nippers being trained now, are our future lifesavers and we are happy to help the Cooks Hill club encourage its junior membership programs,” Ms Sleeman said.

Cooks Hill SLSC oversees a variety of activities including all-age training programs and surf competitions as well as community outreach activities which includes refugee and immigrant beach safety and wheelchair beach access programs.

By Marian SAMPSON