Wooli Nipper News – September 2024

Cleeland Bight Beach – Nippers 2023/24, Photo Credit: Athol Hill

Welcome to Nippers Season 2024/25

Welcome to Wooli Nippers, Season 2024/25 and the first instalment of the Wooli Nipper News, the newsletter of the Woolamai Beach Surf Life Saving Club (SLSC) Nippers Program. Registrations will be opening soon, so read on for all the important pre-registration and program information. Be sure to follow the Wooli Nippers Facebook Group to stay up to date with all the latest information—details on how to join the group can be found below.

In this edition:

  • The 2024/25 Nippers Program

  • Program Registration

  • Before You Register

  • Volunteers

  • Calling all JAMS and Water Safety Team Members

  • Age Managers and Assistant Age Managers Needed

  • Sausage Sizzle/BBQ Coordinator Wanted Urgently

  • Communications Update

  • Further Information

The 2024/25 Nippers Program

The 2024/25 program will run from Sunday 29 December 2024 to Sunday 5 January 2025 inclusive, with a rest day on New Year’s Day (Monday 1 January 2025).

The 2024/25 program fee is $150 per child. This covers participation in the program and a junior club membership. In addition to the program fee, each family must pay $30 for a Woolamai Beach Surf Lifesaving Club social membership. Social membership is not required if one or more parents or guardians are Patrolling Members of the Club.

Further information on Season 2024/25, including age groups, session times and session locations can be found on the Nippers Season 2024/25 page. In addition, general information about Wooli Nippers can be found on the Wooli Nippers Program page.

Program Registration

We are trialling a new approach to registration for the 2024/25 season. For the first time, returning families will have an opportunity to secure their place in the program before registration is opened to those participating for the first time. To qualify as a “Returning Family” you must have created a “Family Group“ as part of your 2023/24 Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) membership renewal.

Registration is completed online and the link to the registration form can be found on the Nippers Registration page. The link will become live when registration opens.

  • Thursday 10 October 2024 at 7:00 pm – Returning Families, including first-time siblings

  • Monday 14 October 2024 at 7:00 pm – New Families

Nippers’ places fill quickly, so put these dates in your calendar to avoid disappointment!

Before You Register

The Nippers registration page has important information on the registration process, including the steps you need to complete before registering.

  • Ensure that you have a valid Victorian Working With Children Check (WWCC)

  • Create or update your member profile via the Surf Life Saving (SLS) Victoria website

Volunteers

The Woolamai SLSC is run by volunteers, and our Nipper program relies on parents taking on roles to make the program happen. It is expected that at least one parent or guardian from each family will contribute through a volunteer role.

Our experience is that the more you get involved, the more your child will enjoy Nippers – and the more fun you will have.  Roles range from low involvement through to high involvement so there will be a role that all families can contribute to ensure a smooth and enjoyable program for all with a ‘many hands make light work’ mentality. When you complete your registration form you will be asked to select the role(s) you can commit to.

Nippers’ volunteer roles are many and varied and include:

  • Equipment bump-in, daily set-up and pack-up, and bump-out

  • Merchandise sales during beach sessions

  • Gear washing (water safety rashies etc.) each night and at the end of the season

  • Admin support on the beach

  • First aid support

  • BBQ Roster

We will soon be providing more information on the volunteer roles and what they entail. Stay tuned to the Wooli Nippers Facebook Group for details on this update and shoutouts for specific volunteer support and skills.

Calling all JAMS and Water Safety Team Members

The Wooli Nippers Junior Age Managers (JAMS) are part of what makes the Wooli Nippers Program special. As former Nippers, JAMS bring enthusiasm, experience and excitement to the Nippers session. Similarly, the program would not happen without the dedicated individuals who are part of the Nippers Water Safety (WS) team.

To former and budding JAMS and WS team members, look out for announcements on the Club and Nippers’ Facebook pages on how to volunteer for the 2024/25 Nippers Program.

Age Managers and Assistant Age Managers Need

JAMS are supported by an Age Manager (AM) and an Assistant Age Manager (AAM). AMs and AAMs are adult volunteer parents and Club Members who have undergone training provided by the Club and assist with coordination and supervision. Interested in being an AM or AAM, stay tuned to the Nippers’ Facebook and Website for updates and further information on volunteering for these roles.

Sausage Sizzle/BBQ Coordinator Wanted Urgently

Do you look good in an apron? Are you handy with a pair of tongs? We are urgently seeking an enthusiastic Sausage Sizzle Coordinator to run this year’s sausage sizzle.

The Nippers sausage sizzle is a much-loved feature of the Program and an important fundraiser. The Coordinator will be responsible for organising a roster each day to run, set up, and pack away the BBQ.  If we do not fill this role ASAP, we will not be running a BBQ on-site at Cleeland Bight Beach. If you are interested, please contact Jules Hay at juniordevelopment@woolamaibeach.asn.au.

Communications Update

The Wooli Nippers Website is where you find all of the key information like program dates, participation requirements, age group session times and locations, and registration details. We have been working to update the information on the Wooli Nippers Website and will continue to do so in the lead-up to the 2024/25 Program.

The Wooli Nippers Facebook Group is a private group for those participating in the Nippers Program. The Group is the primary way we will update you throughout the Program and across the year. It is also the place where we will post happy snaps of Nippers in action and raffle draw results, so be sure to join us at www.facebook.com/woolamaibeachslsc to stay up to date. Remember to answer the questions to be approved!

Delivered straight to your inbox, the Wooli Nipper News features information about the Nippers Program and the Woolami Beach SLSC. The Wooli Nipper News provides you with a summary of key Nipper updates and links to Program information. Make sure you don’t miss any important information by signing up today—email nippers@woolamaibeach.asn.au to be added to the mailing list.

Further Information

If you have any questions about Nippers or the Wooli Nippers Program, please check the Wooli Nippers website. If you can’t find what you are looking for, please don’t hesitate to get in touch by emailing the Nippers Committee at nippers@woolamaibeach.asn.au.

See you down the beach!

  • Jules Hay – Director of Nippers

  • Alex Webster – Treasurer

  • Matt Hardy - Registrar/Registrations/Comms

  • Vanessa Sorensen – Comms/IT

  • Bre McGrath – Registrations/Surfguard

  • Penelople Large – Volunteers

  • Emma Lee – Volunteers

  • Heather Ridley - Volunteers

  • Maddie Hungerford– Water Safely

  • Janine Lloyd – Water Safety

  • Rachel Castello – JAMs/Smith Beach Coordinator

  • Lisa Confoy – Fundraising /Raffle

  • Mel Davies – Merchandise

  • Katie Pirouet– Social Events

  • Andrew Buckland – Equipment

Matthew Hardy