Jandals boost surf life savers

Veteran lifeguard mayor Bob Harvey will be wearing his jandals to work on December 7 to raise money for Surf Life Saving New Zealand.

Office staff interested in taking part in the National Jandal Day should register their workplaces online.

They will then be asked to make a donation to help provide new gear and training for lifeguards up and down the treacherous west coast.

Mr Harvey is now in his 52nd year as an active surf lifesaver and is calling on people, including council staff, to support the cause.

"Surf clubs are always up against it," he says.

The country's surf lifesavers resumed their patrols on Labour weekend.

Life saving spokesman Geoff Barry says the organisation has never had a national fundraising day and hopes the public will get behind it.

"Last year 1440 lives were saved by lifeguards, and that's why we're fundraising, to continue this service to the community," Mr Barry says.

"We are looking forward to the inaugural National Jandal Day being a huge success and becoming an annual event in the Kiwi calendar."

Mr Barry says the organisation always needs funding and street collectors will be out in force on the day.

The modern rubber jandal was invented by New Zealander Maurice Yock who patented the rubber flip flop design in 1957.

The patent was held by Skellerup for a number of years when millions of jandals were produced and worn in New Zealand.

The name and concept is thought to have come from Japanese sandals made with wooden soles and fabric straps.

It is believed servicemen returning from occupied Japan popularised the footwear on New Zealand's beaches after World War Two before Mr Yock came up with the more commonly known design.