20/04/2026
OBMC partners with Whakatāne Surf Lifesaving Club to support the First Aid Room at Ōhope Beach!
Ōhope Beach Medical Centre (OBMC) is proud to announce a new community partnership with the Whakatane Surf Lifesaving Club (WSLSC), supporting the Club’s First Aid Room at Ōhope Beach.
For OBMC, this sponsorship is about backing the people who quietly make a huge difference every day, training, patrolling, educating, and responding when the beach needs them most. WSLSC has been part of the fabric of our community for generations, and its work helps keep locals and visitors safe, confident, and connected to the ocean we all treasure.
What makes this partnership especially meaningful is that the idea came from two young locals. When OBMC owners Jasper Heijtel and Dr Marieke Roelofs were discussing how the medical centre could support the community, their children Floris (9) and Sophie (6) were quick to weigh in: “Let’s sponsor surf lifesaving.”
Both Floris and Sophie are active members of WSLSC, and Dr Marieke Roelofs also contributes to the Club as a coach. For the family, WSLSC is not just an organisation they admire, it’s part of their weekly routine, friendships, learning, and community life.
“Floris and Sophie were very clear about it,” says Jasper. “They talked about training days, being on the beach, learning to be safe in the water, and how the lifeguards help people. Their enthusiasm and their sense of ‘this matters’ really stuck with us.”
When Jasper and Marieke shared the idea with the wider OBMC team, the response was immediate. “Everyone was instantly onboard,” Jasper says. “We are a local medical centre and this is our community too. Supporting the Surf Lifesaving Club just made sense.”
The partnership includes an annual cash contribution ring-fenced specifically for First Aid Room consumables and equipment, with WSLSC choosing what to purchase based on what is needed most. Alongside this, OBMC is providing practical, hands-on support to help keep the First Aid Room organised.
“People often think sponsorship is just a logo,” Jasper says. “We wanted this to be practical. If there’s an incident on the beach, having a First Aid Room that is organised and ready to go supports the volunteers and helps the Club respond quickly. This is our way of backing WSLSC in a hands-on way.”
As a fundamental service in Ōhope, OBMC also sees this partnership as part of staying connected and present in the community. The medical centre has recently seen a strong uplift in patient numbers, while remaining focused on access and timely care. “We have worked hard to keep wait times low, so instead of weeks to see a GP or Nurse Practitioner, it’s typically days,” Jasper says. “Because of that, we can also cater for casual patients. If you’re finding it takes weeks to see your usual GP, we are happy to see you.” Jasper adds that, to support ongoing growth, an additional GP will be joining the OBMC team in the next couple of months.
“At the heart of this is community,” Jasper says. “We live here, we work here, and our kids are growing up here. Supporting WSLSC is an investment in beach safety, youth development, and the wellbeing of the whole Whakatāne–Ōhope community.”
**Photo: Young future surf lifesavers Floris and Sophie Heijtel proud of their initiated First Aid Room sponsorship
