Official opening of the Royal Life Saving Society's new premises

21/3/97

The Royal Life Saving Society is well set to enter the 21st Century.

Sport and Recreation Minister Norman Moore made the comment today at the official opening of the society's new premises next to the Challenge Stadium in Mt Claremont.

He said the society should be proud of the range of its quality educational courses and programs.

The new headquarters had an administration centre and training facilities, including two lecture theatres.

It replaced the old offices in Leederville, which had no training facility.

Mr Moore said that there had been big increases in demand for the society's community courses in the past few years.

There also had been an increase in the number of people wanting higher qualifications and Bronze Medallion courses were consistently full.

He said the society's involvement in schools had been particularly successful. This in turn had helped develop feeder groups for many of the society's activities, including the aquatic sport program.

"While saving lives is the most crucial part of the society's charter, royal life saving also is a popular and highly competitive sport," Mr Moore said.

He said that the headquarters was funded by the Western Australian Government through grants of $300,000 from the Lotteries Commission and $200,000 from the Community Sporting and Recreation Facilities Fund.

Media contact: Hartley Joynt 321 1444, Bob Charteris 387 9749