The sixth annual Ho Tram Water Safety Charity Bike Ride will take place in Ho Tram on Saturday.

Supporting and promoting safety in the water for Vietnamese children for the last six years, the annual event also includes a swimming carnival, where local children will compete against international school students at the Ho Tram Community Pool.

Built by funds raised by the charity, the pool came to fruition in 2015, and is also staffed by fully trained local lifeguards.

Australian expat Carl Gay, the man who’s been leading the ride since 2012, says it came about when a number of people recognized the urgency of basic water safety here.

“It started off with an awareness amongst a group of us about how many children were drowning in Vietnam,” he told Tuoi Tre News, “so we thought we’d do something about it.”

“That’s when we liaised with a charity based in Australia called Water Safety Vietnam and arranged for some training of local children to swim, which remains a major focus of the group.

“With the carnival we’re looking to improve on those skills and show them that being able to swim well can be a rewarding experience.”

Followed by a BBQ, the event is well supported by the local community and in recent years has included a beach carnival, where lifeguards from the Manly Surf Club in Australia have given training to locals and demonstrated vital surf lifesaving skills on nearby Ho Tram beach.

The International School of Ho Chi Minh City and the Australian International School have also undertaken their own fundraising efforts in support of the charity.

“We raise money for three things,” Carl told Tuoi Tre News during last years ride, “to maintain the running of the pool all year round, to train the Vietnamese lifeguards who staff it (and other pools around the country), and for important lifesaving equipment.”

Visit watersafetyvietnam.com to find out more about the work of Water Safety Vietnam, and hotramwatersafety.com to find out all you need to know to take part in tomorrow’s ride.

Local children play at the Ho Tram Community Pool. The pool was built and is maintained by funds raised by Ho Tram Water Safety. Photo: Ho Tram Water Safety

Children receive water safety training at Ho Tram Community Pool. Photo: Ho Tram Water Safety

Local lifeguards learn surf lifesaving skills on Ho Tram beach. Photo: Ho Tram Water Safety

Local lifeguards practice rescue skills on Ho Tram beach. Photo: Ho Tram Water Safety

A child is taught swimming skills at Ho Tram Community Pool. Photo: Ho Tram Water Safety