Our second year saw many achievements with the help of others and our continuance in the promotion of Drowning Prevention, Awareness and Support. 

The day before Hannah's coronial inquest on the 14th December 2008, the Premier Anna Bligh announced her government’s review of Pool legislation and its overhaul. After 20 years Queensland now has the toughest and tightest laws in the country. Whilst it took the personal heartache and advocacy of Hannah's Foundation and many other families to highlight the need for the pool legislation review we wish to pay particular tribute to other persons and organisations who have contributed in Queensland for the past 20 years for pool safety. 

Hannah's Foundation doesn’t claim to be the sole reason this has happened and we do not see just one group or person to be the sole instigator of the ‘full achievement’ of any review of legislation, it is a collective effort of many. We personally thank the efforts and support from Michael Darben, Royal Life Saving Qld, Dr Robert Pitt, Dawn Spinks, Maj Gen Prof John Pearn AM RFD, Dr Ruth Barker, Dr Kylie Baker, CEO Royal Life Saving Rob Bradley and their sponsors and partners, CEO Surf Life Saving Brett Williamson OAM, Mr Ian Rickuss MP, Member for Lockyer, QLD Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson APM and the Qld Police Service and Union. 

We would like to acknowledge the constant support, advice and understanding in the formation of Hannah's Foundation so we extend our thanks to Mr Shayne Neumann MP, Federal Member for Blair and his Electoral Officer Mrs Kylie Stoneman. Mr Neumann also mentioned Hannah's Foundation and its founders, promoted the foundations goal of achieving the National Drowning Prevention, Awareness and Memorial day on the 4th October every year. This day has received enormous support from Federal members and their constituents. It was always our first goal to have the nations “drowning memorial day” and we have achieved that. Keep an eye out of “Memorial Day” in 2010 and wear a rainbow of Purple. 

The Qld Pool safety review commenced after much advocacy with support of the Sunday Mail and written by Sarah Vogler and Sam Healy in Summer of 2008. From September 2008 through to January these two people and the Sunday Mail wrote the truth on backyard pool drownings and highlighted the plight of many. The campaign was also nominated and runner up for News Awards on their Pool Safety Campaign. The Sunday Mail is a continued supporter of Water Safety and we look forward to more articles and messages in 2010. “Hannah's Legacy” as dubbed by the Sunday Mail came into force on the 1st December 2009 with stage two for the same date next year. We will be forever indebted to the staff of the Sunday Mail and to editors Liz and Scott. What a wonderful team effort. For a copy of this campaign please see our MEDIA section of our website. 

The Qld Pool Safety Campaign launched on the 1st November 2009 involved Hannah's Foundation founders Andrew and Kat Plint, Dr Stephen Rashford and Foundation member Mrs Tammy Richie. This was the first time in Qld that a campaign involved Real life stories about pool safety. This was a huge effort from both the Qld State Government and the Foundation itself. The current pool safety campaign features our stories and is included in a $350K campaign funded by the State Government. The Qld State government consulted with us on the way the campaign could run, the messages and how those messages would be conveyed without causing further trauma and stressors to those families. We are proud to feature on the States Pool safety campaign literature, cinema advertisements and radio advertisements. You can view the full campaign at www.dip.qld.gov.au/poolsafety Hannah's Foundation donated all of our time and no member, nor the Foundation was paid for the activity in this campaign. 

Our Annual Keg Race in March at the Breakfast Creek saw Channel 9 defeat last year’s winners of the QFRS. Many flew to the kegs on the water and the support from our defence force teams really entertained the day. The gala dinner and event races raised $9k for the foundation and aided in the promotion of water safety in Queensland. Next year’s event will include our Water Safety ambassadors the Women’s Flat water kayaking team who won bronze in Beijing. WE hope to have the whole team at this event. Our water safety ambassadors are Lyndsie Fogarty (QLD), Lisa Ruff (WA), Hannah Davies (SA) and Chantal Meek (NSW). Qld Canoeing are also sprouting contention for the winner trophy. The date of this event will be released in the next two weeks. 

March also saw the first authoring of our pool Safety guide by Kat Plint and was launched and supported by the Urban Local Government Association in October on Hannah's anniversary. The brochure is supported by certifiers, councils and our members. It is with particular thanks that the hard work and efforts of Mayor Paul Pisasale – City of Ipswich and his Chief of Staff Ms Judy Millie who have assisted the Foundation in the production and distribution of the brochure. It has recently been endorsed by academics and supporters to be the National Pool safety guide and is dedicated to the memory of toddler Harrison Connors. 

Further programs written by Kat Plint. These were tendered to the board and the first program launched was the Positive Choices Program, a water and life safety program for teens and young adults. This program was launched by Mrs Deanna Allen in October and is in memory of her daughter Brandi. Many other teens have died tragically by drowning in 2009 and their families are currently assisting with further chapters and messages within this program to aid the education of water safety to young people. This program was lectured to over 15 schools with more schools wanting to implement it. The program also joins forces with the Matthew Stanley Foundation with the support of Paul and Kay Stanley. We hope that in 2010 that funding for this program will increase and every high school student and tertiary student will receive a Water and Life Safety pack. 

Coronial Inquests attended by Kat and Andrew Plint in two states and recommendations and assistance to the Coroners offices in three states is still continuing. 2010 sees the inquests of over 19 drownings and the Foundation will be representing itself in these processes to gain more awareness and changes. The support and requests from our families will always be heard and whilst the recent inquest Sydney saw many challenges for the Foundation with the differences of jurisdictions it always will be our objective to challenge the laws. The Foundation is an advocacy group; we will always challenge witnesses and the court systems and fight for justice. Sadly it seems that some are using parents are scapegoats yet the inefficiencies of laws seems to be ignored. We make no apology for challenging boundaries or upsetting anyone during the coronial process and we were frustrated that every application by the Foundation for further professional witnesses was ignored. We are still waiting for copies of submissions to which we are entitled and a request to the coroner has been sent. We wait for the recommendations earlier in the New Year. 

The Foundation has seen many new families join during the year and the Foundation has travelled extensively in order to support those families face to face in 3 States with over 60 000 kilometres travelled on Foundation business. The Foundation spent 30 nights away supporting families and spent hundreds of hours on the phone over the past 12 months. 2009 saw the work of our new Peer Support officers in other states and also here in Qld and a team of Professional Counsellors that we now refer to in three states. The Foundation has spent almost $5500 on phone calls to and from the office and 1800 number and over $20 000 in funeral expenses although a more detailed analysis will be presented at the AGM to be held in March 2010. Again this year none of the Directors or committee members received any payment for their time or efforts throughout the year. 

Fundraisers conducted in three states saw many of Hannah's Foundation T-shirts, pens, stickers and environmental bags leave the State of Qld. With many swim schools promoting fully clothed lessons, pyjama days and fun days we thank these entire swim schools for helping give children the necessary skills to get out of the water if they do become immersed alone. Many parents support more of these lessons. So if you are a swim teacher promote fun days and fully clothes lessons. After all the kids who drowned in pools last year only one was in their swimming attire, the rest were fully clothed. 

After the 2010 National Drowning Prevention, Awareness and Memorial Day the Foundation will be taking part in a truly amazing event. More details to come later but it involves a pool, a rope, a truck and some truly inspiring people and their courage. And yes you can also be a part of it where ever you are. 

Hannah's Foundation joined forces with an overseas charity in Nebraska USA “The Joshua Collingsworth Memorial Foundation” and has been educating preschools and child care on their programs regarding Josh the Baby Otter and “No Kids Alone Zones”. Both foundations continue to work together internationally to promote water safety. 

Hannah's Foundation is also working with two more overseas families to commence charities in their country and to aid the promotion of Water Safety. Facebook members increased to 21,892 members and is on the increase, the overwhelming support on Facebook has been awesome and since the cause on Facebook was started by Management Committee president Libby Connolly-Vilumsons in November 07 we have certainly come along way. We will be promoting the Foundation with increased use of social networking websites over the next year. Twitter is another we use regularly so follow HFAndrewPlint or PreventDrowning. The website has had almost 22 000 unique visitors through the year with the Memorial Page by far the most visited. 

2010 sees new programs, the launch of “Hannah's Legacy – The Backyard Tragedy” (Kat Plints recount of Hannah's tragedy and the journey that has followed, this book is the first book in the world on a child drowning tragedy) hopefully in October, a PhD research into the support services and tragedies of Child Drownings, we welcome our professional counsellor and researcher Dawn Spinks to the Foundation and over the next three years some amazing statistics, research and families will share their tragedies with Dawn. If you would like to take part in this research and have not registered your interest please contact the Foundation on support@hannahsfoundation.org.au and the forms will be sent to you. 

So for our supporters and families we thank you for being a part of Hannah's Foundation, helping us rise to our goals, achievements but most of all survival from the tragedies that have affected all of us. The families left behind are survivors and through their struggles, pain and heartache are with them forever. It is a true testament to the strength people do show when confronted by so much diversity and public ridicule. 

Hannah’s Foundation wishes to thank the following government, sponsors and businesses for their continued support throughout 2009. 

Qld State Govt (in particular the Premier Anna Bligh and her cabinet and staff, Minister Stirling Hinchcliffe, Department of Infrastructure and Planning, Qld Health and Commission for Children, Young People and Child Guardian (thank you to Commissioner Elizabeth Fraser and Deputy Commissioner Barry Salmon) and the State Coroners Office) 
SPASA Qld 
SEQWater
City Of Ipswich Council and Mayor Paul Pisasale 
Urban Local Government Association 
AquaVista Glass 
Breakfast Creek Hotel and their sponsors 
Newhaven Funerals 
Living Years 
Simplicity Funerals 
Qantaslink 
CoastHost 
True Blue Charities 
EverydayHero 
Infant Swimming Resource and Kids Aquatic Survival School 
AGH Print 
The Sunday Mail 
The Courier Mail 
Channels 7, 9, 10 Brisbane 
ABC radio 
Qld Times Ipswich 
973fm 
Laidley Local radio 

We thank those people who donated to aid the work of the foundation and family appeals. Please be safe around water for the New Year. Happy New Year to each and every one of you and your families and we thank you on behalf of the Board of Directors, Professional Advisory Board, Management committee our families. 

Andrew Plint 
Hannah's Dad 
CEO & Founding Director