Umhlanga Rocks Surf Lifesaving Club goes from strength to strength
The lifesaving club recently celebrated its 70th birthday.
AS president of the Umhlanga Rocks Surf Lifesaving Club (Rox) for the last 21 years, Norman Rielly has seen the club grow from strength to strength and celebrate several milestones.
The most recent of which saw the club celebrate its 70th birthday.
“It is historic in one sense that we still have three of the founder members John ‘Johno’ Summerfield, Mike Cameron and Derek ‘Superduck’ Clinton still alive. Two of them attended the recent celebrations which was quite special. The celebration in September was also to recognise the efforts and contributions the club has made since it was formed. For the last seven decades the club has had its ups and downs, but to date, I think it is the strongest it has ever been.
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“We’ve also seen the health of our club still attracting members and the strong growth in our nipper contingent – we have approximately 180 children in the Nippers programme which is just fantastic. As the club has evolved, we’ve grown stronger and stronger over the years and that is testament to the founder members. Their commitment has led to the club’s strong roots and relationship with the community of Durban North and uMhlanga. There is a wonderful sense of camaraderie and togetherness within the club,” Rielly said.
His comments were echoed by longstanding member of the club, Colin Young.
Young, who joined Rox in 1963, served as chairman for 11 years and is now chairman of the Old Boys’ Club.
“I’m not aware of many clubs that have an Old Boys’ Club which in of itself is another milestone. The recent 70th birthday celebrations were a wonderful way to celebrate the club and its many achievements. I should also add that this was the 70th year from the official registration of the club with Lifesaving South Africa in 1953. However, we have records that go back to the 1930s which show a presence of lifesavers here – of course, not in an official capacity,” Young said.
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Speaking to Northglen News about the legacy of the club, Rielly said he hopes it will celebrate another 70 years of community service.
“A massive part of our service to the community has been our programme about water safety. We’ve had a longstanding relationship with Solomon Mahlangu Primary School in Cornubia where we educate children about water safety and awareness through a seven-week development programme. For us, it is one of the proudest legacies of the club and is key to our commitment to effecting change,” he said.
“Through this community outreach, some of those very same learners have progressed to become qualified lifeguards for eThekwini. They’ve come through the programme and then gone on to helping others. Another incredible feature of this club has been the depth of talent. We have multiple record holders in various lifesaving disciplines, and many of our members have represented South Africa at competitions, and we continue to excel at both the KZN and SA Lifesaving Champs. Many of our members have also been involved in rescues both in Durban and abroad, which is also incredibly special,” he said.
If you would like to get involved in the club, visit its Facebook page, Umhlanga Rocks Surf Lifesaving Club.
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