Thursday, 9 March 2023 - 10:43am

Light relief for East Coast kids

1 min read

News article photos (2 items)

Constables Abi Daunton and Senior Constable Justin Moore (both middle back) with the young surfers and helpers.
Some of the students surfing.

​Two Tairāwhiti police officers have provided a little light relief for a group of East Coast school children in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle.

Gisborne Constable Abi Daunton and Ruatoria Senior Constable Justin Moore recently attended Te Waha o Rerekohu Area School’s beach day at Onepoto Bay on the East Cape to help the students learn to surf.

Abi, a keen surfer, was relieving in Te Araroa following the cyclone. She approached, Shylah Taiapa, the local Sport Gisborne rep about using the community surf gear based in Onepoto Bay.#

A recent initiative by the Gisborne Boardriders Club has seen a shipping container of surf gear placed at Onepoto for the community’s use. The conversation led to Abi and Justin being invited to join the school’s beach day.

Justin says it was a great day.

“It was heaps of fun and so awesome to see the smiles on the children’s faces, especially after what some of them have been through recently,” he says.