On Friday 10th July, Community Swim, the flagship programme of the John Walker Find Your Field of Dreams Foundation, were delighted launch their four new buses to replace their former fleet of four buses that have “run their course” from the last 12 years of transporting approximately 200,000 primary pupils to and from their free swimming lessons.
The award winning Community Swim programme provides free pool entry, free transport and FREE lessons to year 3, 4, 5 and 6 pupils in Auckland south & east, is a partnership between the Find Your Field of Dreams Foundation, Auckland Council and Swimgym.
Since the launch of Community Swim in 2008, 1.4 million free lessons have been delivered to more than 200,000 pupils.
Founding Chairman Sir John Walker says it is thanks to the extremely generous support of The Lion Foundation and Water Safety NZ , which meets the cost of swim lessons for the students, plus the four NEW buses, that have been so generously funded by Auckland Council, NZCT, Joyce Fisher Charitable Trust and Grassroots Trust has enabled the Community Swim programme to continue to gain such widespread recognition.
General Manager of Field of Dreams Rick Pickard says that the “Bus Launch” is a great celebration to have coming out of Covid and with Mayor Phil Goff and Lady Helen Walker “cutting the ribbon” it was the ideal opportunity to acknowledge and thank the wonderful funders and supports of the Community Swim programme.
The four very strongly branded FIND YOUR FIELD OF DREAMS buses are widely visible transporting youngsters across Auckland for other Find Your Field of Dreams programmes, Auckland Council OSCAR (Out of School Care & Recreation) programmes and Council holiday programmes.