#RUNFORSTEVE, DROWNING PREVENTION & WATER SAFETY

Hello everyone!

My name is Amber and I am fundraising on behalf of Surf Life Saving New Zealand and for my Dad, Steve Stratford, who tragically passed away from a drowning accident at the Tekapo canals this year on March 6th. He was doing what he loved most, fishing.

Drowning prevention and water safety will forever remain close to my heart, so for the next 10 weeks I would like to raise as much money as possible to support the work that SLSNZ does.

SLSNZ primarily use fundraising money to support their training programmes to train new lifeguards (on average there are 1000 lifeguards trained each year). Along side this, myself and my cousin Hannah will be doing the North Shore half marathon on September 5th, which happens to fall on fathers day this year and to pay tribute to my amazing Dad, who has been taken too soon.

New Zealand has one of the highest drowning rates in the world, due to a lot of kiwis taking an active interest in recreational water activities. It takes a split second for something to go wrong, but a lifetime of challenges for the family and friends left behind. You never think it will happen to you, until it does. Every drowning is preventable.

Thank-you in advance for your contribution, this means so much to us!

If you are in the Auckland region please feel free to come down and support us during our #runforsteve, at 7.45am starting and ending between Milford & Castor Bay on the North Shore, September 5th.

And to my Dad, thank-you for giving me the strength to do this for you, I will continue to advocate for drowning prevention and water safety in your name.

Many thanks,

Amber Stratford