Royal Life Saving Society – The NEN

Inaugural National Drowning Report launched at Westminster

A new report from the Water Safety All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) authored by the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) and supported by the National Water Safety Forum (NWSF), was launched this week (21 June) at Westminster.

The launch event, sponsored by TWF (The Wetsuit Factory), was attended by over 20 MPs, including: The Speaker of the House of Commons, The Rt Hon Sir Lindsay Hoyle; Lord Addington; Baroness Bottomley; and Rob Butler MP for Aylesbury who gave an account from a member of his constituency Stephanie Williams about her daughter who tragically lost her life last month.

MPs had a chance to meet with representatives from organisations such as RLSS UK, RNLI, Speedo, Water Babies, RoSPA, the National Child Mortality Database (NCMD), the Maritime Coastal Agency (MCA), and key organisations from the aquatics industry who contributed to the report.

Former professional swimmer, and Speedo Ambassador, Michael Gunning was also present and spoke about his experiences within the industry. Water Safety APPG chair Giles Watling opened the launch event to his colleagues at Westminster.

Giles Watling commented: “In my years as a yachtsman and keen swimmer, I have come to learn the dangers that water can pose. To this end, suitable education on the threats, and how to mitigate the risks, is vital.

“I am grateful as the Chair of the APPG for Water Safety to have been able to work with RLSS UK and find out more about the work that they are doing in this area to address this. The findings of this report into what is currently being done – and what remains to be done – to save lives and prevent deaths by drowning, is welcome reading.

“We need to be clear: in the UK, there is clear intent to be on and enjoy the water. 226 people accidentally drowned in 2022, and only through better education about how to stay safe will we bring the number of fatalities down. Everyone should be able to enjoy the water whilst remaining informed on how to avoid tragic incidents, and I am pleased to see that RLSS UK is working to achieve just that.”

The report has provided a real picture of accidental drownings in the UK and uses data from the Water Incident Database (WAID) as well as other data sources to provide the UK Government with evidence backed data on why the approach to drowning prevention needs to be improved.

The report is also available for members of the public on the RLSS UK website and headline stats include:

151 accidental fatalities occurred in England, the highest of all the UK nations.
Scotland and Wales had the highest accidental fatality rate, more than double that of England.
83% of accidental fatalities were male.
There was a 46% increase in the number of accidental fatalities amongst children, compared to the 5-year average.
19 people lost their life across four consecutive days in July as UK temperatures reached record highs.
60% of accidental fatalities occurred inland.
In summer 2022, there were 40% more accidental fatalities inland than on the coast.
26% accidental fatalities were under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.

Lee Heard, Charity Director at RLSS UK, presented the report findings at the event and highlighted the importance of educating everyone on water safety. He said: “This report presents the current picture of UK drowning as analysed from 2022, and also identifies trends in relation to data over a five-year period.

“Progress is being made across the UK, however, the report clearly shows that we need enhanced Government involvement to collectively progress to deliver the current targets set by the NWSF, Water Safety Wales (WSW) and Water Safety Scotland (WSS).

“We are grateful to the great number of MPs who attended the event yesterday and we look forward to working with the UK Government to deliver the reports recommendations which include innovative solutions to better deliver school swimming; mandating that every child should have a class-based water safety lesson at each key stage; and investing in initiatives to address the increase in child drowning fatalities.

“Together with other members of the NWSF, we will continue with our work and commitment to prevent future drownings.”

To view the report visit www.rlss.org.uk/national-drowning-report-uk.

Lee Cooper, Managing Director at TWF (The Wetsuit Factory) who sponsored the event, said: “At TWF we believe it is crucial for Water Safety Education to reach the classrooms.

“Increasing Water Safety Education will ensure children from all backgrounds are aware of the dangers for themselves and others. They should be able to confidently self-rescue allowing them to be safe in, around and on all types of water.

“TWF are in full support of RLSS UK and Water Safety APPG on their mission to get this into our school curriculum.”

The report was launched in the week of RLSS UK’s annual Drowning Prevention Week, where the charity aims to educate children and their families on water safety to ensure they are able to enjoy water safely ahead of the summer holidays.

Drowning Prevention Week provides free resources to families to provide education for all.

Visit www.rlss.org.uk/DPW for further information.

Animation launched to prevent drownings this summer

The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) has launched a brand-new animation which focuses on the Water Safety Code as part of its annual Drowning Prevention Week campaign which runs 17-24 June.

Since 1891 the national charity has been sharing their expertise in water safety, lifesaving, and lifeguarding to educate everyone to enjoy water safely. Drowning Prevention Week is now in its 10th year and continues to help educate school aged children on how they can enjoy water safely and prevent any future drownings.

The charity conducted research with parents in the UK which showed that only around one in six UK adults were familiar with the Water Safety Code and its aims, and one in four parents haven’t or don’t remember ever discussing water safety with their child(ren).

In 2022, we tragically saw 37 people aged 19 and under die from accidental drowning in the UK, and RLSS UK hopes that their new animation will provide parents with a starting point to have conversations with their children around water safety.

The animation walks through the water safety code which is the fundamental spine of all water safety education. It is designed to provide simple and easy to remember information that acts as both a proactive measure to help educate people to make early, critical decisions, and also to help people understand what they should do in an emergency.

The code focuses on four simple points:

STOP AND THINK: take time to assess your surrounds. Look for the dangers and always research local signs and advice.

STAY TOGETHER: when around water always go with friends or family. Swim at a lifeguarded venue.

IN AN EMERGENCY…

CALL 999: ask for the Fire and Rescue Service when inland and the Coastguard if at the coast. Don’t enter the water to rescue.

FLOAT: fall in or become tired – stay calm, float on your back and call for help. Throw something that floats to somebody that has fallen in.

Lee Heard, Charity Director at RLSS UK said, “We hope that our new animation provides families with a resource to start those conversations around how everyone, including children, can stay safe in and around water.

“We want families to be able to enjoy the water but do this in a safe way by recognising any potential dangers, and also knowing what to do if they or someone else finds themselves in difficulty.

“The animation will also form part of our education resources that we have once again made available to primary and secondary schools in the UK and Ireland. Last year over 341,000 school children were educated in water safety using our free downloadable school resources and this year we hope to educate even more children.”

The charity provides educational resources for schools to allow them to integrate them easily into their curriculum to provide opportunities for all children to have the vital skills and knowledge around how to enjoy water safely.

RLSS UK are also working with their Patron Lord Storey as in June last year he put in a Water Safety Education (Curriculum) Bill, which went through its second reading in the House of Lords in April of this year. If approved, the Bill will mean that more water safety education will be a compulsory part of the curriculum, something RLSS UK has been lobbying towards for many years.

Lee continued, “Although swimming and water safety are included on the PE curriculum for England there are inequalities in reality that means many children do not have access to the water safety education that is so vital.

“Pre-COVID, almost 1 in 4 children were not hitting the statutory ‘can self-rescue’ standard. Worryingly there is huge disparity between high and low affluence households, as well as between different ethnic backgrounds, with those from the lowest affluence and those from ethnic minorities most likely to fail to reach the statutory standards.

“The work that RLSS UK does, in providing resources such as the animation and other school resources, as well as lobbying government to include water safety education on the curriculum, shows that we are committed to ensuring that there is equality when teaching water safety education to children in the UK and Ireland.”

For further details on water safety and to view RLSS UK’s latest animation, visit www.rlss.org.uk/DPW.

Why are so many children lacking essential water safety knowledge?

Following the tragic incident that happened at Babbs Mill Lake in Solihull over the weekend, there has been an outcry of support to increase education and knowledge related to water safety.

The team at the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) has picked up a long list of national, regional and local media engagements and there has been a consistent question that has come from journalists – Why are so many school children lacking essential water safety knowledge?

This has been supported with reminiscing about former approaches through public information films and broadcasts. The reality is that the technology and media landscape has changed so much. Whilst at one time posting some content, on TV, at 4pm in the afternoon would reach a large proportion of children there is now so much choice for children and young people, and it has become extremely difficult to guarantee maximum reach.

The question though is not a question for RLSS UK but a question that needs to be posed to government and this blog explains more …

Lee Heard, Charity Director at RLSS UK, praises the work of the emergency services, who the charity works closely with to share crucial messaging around water safety, but asks what more can be done to keep children safe:

“What is guaranteed is that the majority of children can be reached through the education system. The answer on keeping children safe around water is simple. Education. Only with class-based education and removing insurmountable barriers for some schools to travel to pool spaces will we be able to give every child the opportunity to learn crucial knowledge and skills to make informed decisions and be safe around water.

For many years, we at RLSS UK have been working tirelessly to raise awareness of barriers and lobby to try and push forwards with getting class-based water safety education on the national curriculum. It should not take yet another tragedy, and even more innocent young lives lost, to have to put the case forwards once again.

If you speak to Government about this subject they will provide rhetoric and spin. It is positive that in the national curriculum for England that swimming and water safety are included on the PE curriculum but for too many years now this has been used to mask inherent inadequacies and inequalities in their policy position on water safety. Pre-COVID, almost 1 in 4 children (24% of) were not hitting the statutory ‘can self-rescue’ standard. Worryingly there is huge disparity between high and low affluence households, as well as between different ethnic backgrounds, with those from the lowest affluence and those from ethnic minorities most likely to fail to reach the statutory standards.

Fig 1: The proportion (%) of UK children (years 3-11) who do not meet statutory ‘self-rescue’ standards by family affluence (2017/18).

Fig 2: The proportion (%) of UK children (years 3-11) who do not meet statutory ‘self-rescue’ standards by ethnicity (2017/18).

This uneven playing field is well known and RLSS UK has been asking questions of Government since 2017 about reviewing its approach to ensure equal access. This has been followed up by a petition by water safety campaigner and bereaved parent Becky Ramsey who sadly lost her son Dylan Ramsey to drowning in 2011. The petition received over 108,000 signatures. The Government responses indicated no desire to change its approach, instead included a list of approaches and highlighting the hard work of other organisations who have no statutory responsibility. It is worth reiterating that even pre-COVID those from white, affluent families were much more likely to have access to this lifesaving education, proof that the approaches were not working.

The fact is that charities, individuals, organisations and schools who believe in increasing water safety knowledge have been working tirelessly to fill this gap. RLSS UK is not alone, there are incredible organisations doing great work locally and nationally and work is supported by the National Water Safety Forum. We personally have produced resources year after year for our Drowning Prevention Week (DPW) campaigns during the summer months, and these are always widely used by many schools across the UK and Ireland, but this is not enough and we cannot, even across partners, educate everyone alone.

In 2022 during DPW, over 1.2m million children were educated using our free water safety resources but there are over 10.6 million school aged children in the UK. So ,what about those 9.4 million children? Would they know how to stay safe around water? Would they know what to do if they got into difficulty or saw someone in trouble? Or will we see even more sad news in the years that follow? We have the resources, and we have the knowledge to share but only 1 in 5 children have had water safety education in school in the last year. We have to ask why there is resistance to make this small change to include a short class-based water safety lesson on the curriculum?

The current situation is much worse, there has been an obvious decline in attainment since COVID. Of course, a global pandemic has presented it challenges but the worrying fact is that in many cases, this decline was seen in 20/21 and is not showing signs of recovery. The most recent data shared through the 2022 Active Lives Survey shows that only 34.7% of children from low affluence families are able swim 25m unaided. This means that children from low affluence families are half as likely (34.7%) to be able to swim 25m unaided than those from high income families (76.4%).

Fig 3: The proportion (%) of UK children (years 1-11) who can swim 25m unaided standards by family affluence (2021/22).

Fig 4: The proportion (%) of UK children (years 1-11) who can swim 25m unaided standards by ethnicity (2021/22).

The Government seems content that 80% of schools surveyed are currently offering school swimming, the detail shows a very different picture and says a lot about the acceptance of achievements against pre-set outcomes and standards.

The barriers for some schools are simply insurmountable for a number of reasons. The further backdrop is that there are real and perceived barriers for schools to access swimming spaces. The future landscape is due to make this more challenging, we already know that in 2022 there has been a 5.1% decrease in swimming facilities and UK Active has recently reported that 40% of council areas are at risk of losing their leisure centre(s) or seeing reduced services at their leisure centre(s) before 31 March 2023.

We know that swimming and water safety is already on the national curriculum, but we also know that unfortunately this isn’t a successful policy to meet the Government’s own stated outcomes. Water safety goes hand-in-hand with swimming. We will always advocate for swimming as a life and water skill but our research shows that swimming is quite simply not enough. In our analysis of 83 accidental drownings of 8–18-year-olds in the UK, 3 in 5 (61%) were described as swimmers by their friends and family. This data suggests that being able to swim alone isn’t a guarantee of staying safe in, on and around water.

We have lesson plans which can be incorporated into existing lessons such as English, Maths, Science and more, for all age groups from early years to primary, to secondary school students. We want to be proactive when educating children on water safety, not reactive when we hear of a tragedy like we saw in Solihull at the weekend.

For this to change we need support from the very top. We need the Government to accept and acknowledge that:

Its approach isn’t working for all of our communities and to acknowledge
One drowning or water related death is one too many, and
Each accidental drowning can be avoided by education that doesn’t require huge investment in time or finances to take pupils to a pool.

We are calling on the government to make a change; to finally put water safety education on the class-based curriculum, to give every single child the chance to know how to stay safe in and around water, to ensure that families don’t have to go through the heartache that so many have already endured and to simply care for our children and their futures.

Education will save lives.”

View water safety education resources

Royal Life Saving Society UK issues winter water safety advice

THREE BOYS DIE IN SOLIHULL FROZEN LAKE TRAGEDY

On Sunday 11 December reports were shared of a rescue effort of several people at Babbs Mill, Kingshurst in the West Midlands. Reports said that a number of people had entered the water after been on the frozen lake.

Latest reports have announced that three boys aged eight, 10 and 11 have died after falling into an icy lake near Solihull. A fourth boy, aged six, remains in a critical condition in hospital.

The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) has issued safety advice today to ensure everyone is aware of the dangers around frozen water and what to do in an emergency.

Lee Heard, Charity Director at RLSS UK said, “Firstly, and most importantly, we would like to send our thoughts to the individuals and families involved with the incident which occurred yesterday. We know that incidents such as this cause concern in the local community within that area, but also nationally.

“The cold weather we saw at the weekend meant that many bodies of water froze over and created hazardous conditions. We appreciate the temptation to walk across or play on the frozen water but we would like to urge everyone to know what dangers are associated with frozen water.

“Our advice is to never go on to the ice under any circumstances. The ice may appear thicker than it is but please be aware that ice is vulnerable, especially as you move further from the edge. If you were to fall in this can be extremely dangerous due to the cold temperatures of the water and the possibility of currents pushing you under unbroken ice.”

Cold water shock refers to a range of natural reactions that our bodies take to protect us when we enter the cold water, however, these reactions can sometimes work against us, Lee explains:

“There are three stages that your body goes through during cold water shock, starting with a gasp for breath, this is then followed by rapid breathing. Your blood pressure then shoots up as your body tries to keep your blood warm by moving it towards the middle of your body.

“As your muscles cool, your strength, endurance and muscle control reduces to the point when you cannot swim any longer so you are unable to rescue yourself, which is where the real danger can be seen.”

RLSS UK offer safety advice for winter water safety, with simple steps to keep safe during the winter:

Never go onto the ice to play, to retrieve an object, or a pet
Never enter the ice to rescue somebody, call 999 and ask for the Fire and Rescue Service

What to do if you fall through the ice:

Keep calm and shout for ‘help’
Spread your arms across the surface of the ice in front of you
If the ice is strong enough, kick your legs to slide onto the ice
Lie flat and pull yourself towards the bank
If the ice breaks, work your way to the bank-breaking the ice in front of you anyway
If you cannot climb out, wait for help and keep as still as possible. Press your arms by your side and keep your legs together. Keep your head clear of the water
Once you are safe, go to hospital immediately for a check up

What to do if you see someone fall through the ice:

Shout for assistance and phone the emergency services – call 999 or 112
Do not walk or climb onto the ice to attempt a rescue
Shout to the casualty to ‘keep still’ and offer reassurance to keep them calm
Try and reach them from the bank using a rope, pole, tree branch, clothing tied together or anything else which can extend your reach
When reaching from the bank, lie down to avoid being pulled onto the ice
If you cannot reach them, slide something which floats, such as a plastic bottle or football, across the ice for them to hold onto to stay afloat whilst help is on the way
If the casualty is too far away, do not attempt to rescue them. Wait for the emergency services while calming and reassuring the casualty

RLSS UK have further winter water safety advice on their website: www.rlss.org.uk/winter-water-safety.

Visit our website at rlss.org.uk

Visit our Facebook page – facebook.com/RLSSUK

Call – 0300 323 0096

National charity launches new Lifesaving award

The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) has launched its brand-new National Lifesaving Academy (NLA) today (10 October0.

The NLA programme is designed to provide skills for life and includes beach, pool and open water elements. It is the first programme of its kind for the UK and Ireland that recognises prior learning for vocational lifeguard courses, officially acknowledging the skill development and growth of young lifesavers as well as addressing the national shortage of lifeguards.

In 2011 the charity marked a historical moment as it launched a Survive & Save programme to give young people the opportunity to learn vital lifesaving skills. Over a decade later, the charity has adapted the programme, developing elements further to ensure those who take the award have the latest skills and knowledge around lifesaving and to recognise the valuable contribution that lifesavers make in society.

The brand new National Lifesaving Academy will be ran by clubs and leisure centres across the UK and Ireland and RLSS UK aims to ensure that it is an award which is accessible to everyone.

Lee Heard, Charity Director at RLSS UK said: “We have worked closely with lifesaving instructors, clubs, and commercial leisure partners to design a flexible programme that can be delivered to more lifesavers and as a result, allow more people to enjoy water safely.

“We knew that we wanted to make the award more accessible to young people from all backgrounds and households, and this is why we have ensured that the price of the award remains affordable. We also wanted the skills obtained in the award to be formally recognised to allow career progression within the leisure industry.”

Lifesavers can take awards at either the beach, in open water or at the pool, or all three if they wish, and progress through the programme from the bronze certificate, to the bronze star, before obtaining their bronze medallion, a prestigious and historic award for lifesavers.

Lee continued: “For many young people, lifesaving is the first step to obatin vital skills to set them up for a long career . With this in mind, any bronze medallion achieved can be used a Recognised Prior Learning (RPL) hours towards the relevant vocational lifeguard qualification either a pool, beach or open water lifeguard qualification. These qualifications are renowned for being qualifications that lead to exceptional careers, especially in health, leisure and public services.

“As well as this, our lifesavers will now learn the same theory and techniques you can find in our regulated qualifications, such as First Aid at Work and the National Pool Lifeguard Qualification, meaning that lifesavers will now cover the use of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) for adults, children, and infants.

“With the rise of Community Access Public Defibrillators and the news that all state-funded schools will have a defibrillator by the end of the 22/23 academic year, it was the right time to teach our Lifesavers how to use this lifesaving equipment.”

The skills that can be learnt when taking the National Lifesaving Academy are vital to ensure that future lifesavers have the necessary knowledge to help others to enjoy water safely.

Clubs and operators will be getting ready to offer the programme in the coming months and will then be opening their doors and encouraging as many young people as possible to take part in the awards.

Learn more about NLA.

Summer holiday booked? Is water safety on your packing list?

With school summer holidays under way for families across the UK, many of us will be counting down the days until we step on a plane for potentially the first time since pre-covid. However, the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) is asking families if they are up to date on their water safety knowledge.

The charity fears that we will see more tragedies overseas in the coming months, as we have seen in previous years, as families head abroad to enjoy the sun, sea and swimming pools.

Lee Heard, Charity Director at RLSS UK said: “Every year during the summer we see a sharp rise in the number of accidental drownings not only in the UK but also with UK citizens abroad.

“Unfortunately we have already this year seen a number of drownings of both adults and children who were enjoying their holiday abroad and we do not want to see any more over the summer period.

“We understand how exciting a summer holiday can be but we want to ensure that families long awaited trips do not turn to the unimaginable for all of the wrong reasons. We are encouraging families to ensure that they take responsibility for their own water safety and enjoy their time on holiday but be safe whilst doing so.”

The Royal Life Saving Society UK’s advice is clear, that those preparing for their summer holidays should ensure the following simple tips are understood by all members of the family:

You are your family’s lifeguard – Lifeguard standards differ outside of the UK and Ireland. Always supervise children and keep them within arms’ length.
Do your research – check the safety arrangements of any water-based activities and if there is lifeguard cover at the pool/beach and know what to do and who to call in an emergency.
Do not use inflatables in open water – Inflatable dinghies or lilos are a well-known hazard – each year there are a high number of incidents where people on inflatables are blown out to sea.
Make sure the whole family can swim and knows basic water safety – visit www.rlss.org.uk to take their free, online Lifesaver Lifechanger toolkit.
Check bathing sites for hazards, check the safest places to swim and always read the signs – find out what local warning signs and flags mean.

Lee continued: “We want to help families enjoy water safely with our summer water safety information.

“We truly believe that people can be equipped with the right knowledge around water safety, and as a result we won’t need to see the fatalities we currently are seeing with accidental drownings both in the UK and abroad.”

For further water safety information visit the RLSS UK website – www.rlss.org.uk.

MPs support Royal Life Saving Society UK’s Drowning Prevention Week

This week, the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), the national charity and leader in lifesaving and lifeguarding training across the UK and Ireland, brought its annual Drowning Prevention Week campaign to Westminster.

MPs came together with the RLSS UK CEO and Charity Director, lifeguards, Olympian Professor Greg Whyte OBE, Paralympian Ellie Robinson MBE, and over 50 other Parliamentarians to discuss the importance of spreading water safety awareness, as well as what practical steps could be taken in their constituencies to address the issue.

At the event, MPs had the chance to see this guidance first-hand, including how to use throw lines, how to respect bodies of water, among other resources and also check out the cutting-edge equipment that is now being used to keep our shorelines and lakes safer than ever.

The RLSS UK also showed MPs the charity’s brand-new animation aimed at educating parents and their children about water safety and starting conversations of how their family can enjoy the water safely this summer.

Over 400 people die every year in the UK and Ireland from accidental drowning, yet every drowning is avoidable. Of those who drown, some 40% had no intention of entering the water in the first place. Yet people should still feel free to enjoy the water, as with the correct education and awareness, this can be done safely.

Drowning Prevention Week, which began on 18^th June and continues until 25^th June, encourages the public to be ready to enjoy being in, on, or around water this summer by ensuring that they and their families have a good understanding of water safety.

Lee Heard, Charity Director at RLSS UK said: “With June, July, and August proving to be the months with the most fatalities, it is vitally important that everyone understands water safety, especially during the summer months.

“We want to ensure that everyone can enjoy their summer break and enjoy being in or around water but be safe in the knowledge that they, and their children, have the skills and understanding about water safety, which could potentially save a life.

“It is fantastic to have so many MPs pledge to support our work in their constituencies, and even Ministers and Lords, came to show their support for our Drowning Prevention Week campaign. Their support will help us to highlight the issues surrounding water safety education and helping to educate communities.”

Olympian Professor Greg Whyte OBE, said: “I have been privileged to work with the Royal Life Saving Society UK for many years, as we strive to spread awareness around water safety and help people to enjoy water safely.

“Every MP who came along to our event, and who helps us spread the message and awareness of this important campaign is helping us reach our ultimate goal of zero water deaths, and for that I am grateful.”

Paralympian Ellie Robinson MBE, said: “While swimming ability is of course crucial, far more worrying is the statistic that some 40% of people who drown had no intention of entering the water in the first place. Only by spreading greater awareness of water safety can we help people to enjoy water safely and reduce fatalities.”

The event came quickly after the inaugural meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Water Safety. This took place earlier this month and aims to establish more accessible water safety education across the UK to prevent future drownings.

Damien Moore MP, Chair of the APPG on Water Safety, said: “Every drowning is a tragedy, and despite the RLSS UK’s excellent education campaign having reached an estimated 20 million people across the UK, these horrific accidents continue to happen.

“It is my sincerest hope that by hosting this event in Parliament, we have helped to further spread awareness of how best to enjoy water safely, so that ultimately lives can be saved.

“I want to thank the RLSS UK, along with every MP who came along to our event, for the vital work that they are doing in spreading awareness.”

Summer’s here: Keep it fun not fatal

National charity and leader in lifesaving and lifeguarding training across the UK and Ireland, the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), is urging people to get summer ready by brushing up on their water safety skills and knowledge with their national Drowning Prevention Week campaign (18 – 25 June).

With over 400 people dying each year in the UK and Ireland from accidental drowning, it’s clear that it’s a topic that needs more attention.

Lee Heard, Charity Director at RLSS UK said: “With June, July, and August proving to be the months with the most fatalities, it is vitally important that everyone has an understanding of water safety, especially during the summer months.

“We have seen a rise in the number of drownings over the last few years, with peaks during the summer. In July 2021, there were 49 accidental drowning fatalities in the space of just two weeks in the UK, and we know that with the right water safety knowledge, accidental drownings are avoidable.

Drowning is not just a topic that needs attention for those who take part in water-based activities either, in 2021 evidence from the National Water Safety Forum showed that 40% of people had no intention to enter the water.

The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) has a range of free educational resources available on their website for children, young people and parents and are holding their annual Drowning Prevention Week campaign between 18^th-25^th June to equip everyone across the UK and Ireland with the skills and knowledge to make the right decisions about water safety.

Lee Heard continued: “This year for Drowning Prevention Week we are aiming to educate more young people than ever about water safety and give children the skills to enjoy a lifetime of fun in the water.

“We have a range of free educational resources available on the RLSS UK website, including lesson plans for schools and resources for parents, as well as a brand new animation to engage young people in learning about water safety.

“In a recent survey, over 55% of parents said they would not be confident their child would know what to do if they fell into open water; this is something we want to change.

“Drowning Prevention Week brings the focus of water safety to people’s minds, giving everyone the opportunity to be equipped with the appropriate skills and knowledge to be summer ready when it comes to being safe in and around water during the summer months and beyond.”

With many families opting for staycations and heading to the coastlines and waterways for holidays in recent times, having an understanding of what to do if you find yourself or someone else in trouble in the water is more important than ever.

Lee Heard added: “If you or someone else finds themselves in difficulty in the water, it’s vital to remember the Water Safety Code: whenever you are around water you should stop and think to assess your surroundings and look for any dangers; stay together when around water and always go with family and friends; in an emergency call 999 and ask for the Fire and Rescue service when inland and the Coastguard if at the coast; and finally float to live, if you fall in or become tired, stay calm, float on your back and call for help, or if you see someone in the water, throw something that floats to them and resist temptation to go in.”

Drowning Prevention Week takes place 18^th-25^th June and free resources can be downloaded from www.rlss.org.uk/dpw.

Visit our Facebook page – facebook.com/RLSSUK

Call – 0300 323 0096

Stay safe in the water this Easter

With the clocks having gone forward and the lighter evenings now in store, national charity and leader in lifesaving and lifeguarding training across the UK and Ireland, the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), is urging people to brush up on their water safety skills and knowledge.

With over 400 people dying each year in the UK and Ireland from accidental drowning, it’s clear that it’s a topic that needs more attention. With the hope of warmer days and evenings round the corner, and the Easter holidays upon us, now is a vital time to ensure you and your family know how to stay safe in and around water.

Lee Heard, Charity Director at RLSS UK said: “It is vitally important that everyone has an understanding of water safety, especially now we have the lighter evenings where we will start to see more people out and about in, on and around the water.

“We want to ensure that everyone can enjoy their Easter and summer breaks and enjoying the water but be safe in the knowledge that they, and their children, have the skills and understanding about water safety, which could potentially save a life. Every life is worth saving.”

Drowning is not just an issue that needs attention for those who take part in water-based activities either, evidence shows that one in two people who accidentally drown never intended to enter the water and in 2020 evidence from the National Water Safety Forum showed that 45% of accidental drownings took place when people were taking part in everyday activities.

RLSS UK has a range of free educational resources available on their website for children, young people and parents and are holding their annual Drowning Prevention Week campaign in June. The campaign will take place between 18^th-25^th June and aims to equip everyone across the UK and Ireland with the skills and knowledge to make the right decisions about water safety.

Lee continued: “This year for Drowning Prevention Week we are aiming to educate more young people than ever about water safety and give children the skills to enjoy a lifetime of fun in the water.

“We have a range of free educational resources available on the RLSS UK website, including lesson plans for schools and resources for parents.

“In a recent survey, over 55% of parents said they would not be confident their child would know what to do if they fell into open water; this is something we want to change.

Summer is just around the corner – get ahead and keep it fun not fatal

With over 400 people dying each year in the UK and Ireland from accidental drowning, it’s clear that it’s a topic that needs more attention.

Drowning is not just a topic that needs attention for those who take part in water-based activities either, evidence shows that one in two people who accidentally drown never intended to enter the water and in 2020 evidence from the National Water Safety Forum showed that 45% of accidental drownings took place when people were taking part in everyday activities.

The campaign will take place between 18^th-25^th June and aims to equip everyone across the UK and Ireland with the skills and knowledge to make the right decisions about water safety.

“We have a range of free educational resources available on the RLSS UK website, including lesson plans for schools and resources for parents.

“In a recent survey, over 55% of parents said they would not be confident their child would know what to do if they fell into open water; this is something we want to change.

Lee Heard added: “If you or someone else finds themselves in difficulty in the water, it’s vital to remember the Water Safety Code:

whenever you are around water you should stop and think to assess your surroundings and look for any dangers;

stay together when around water and always go with family and friends;

in an emergency call 999 and ask for the Fire and Rescue service when inland and the Coastguard if at the coast;

and finally float to live, if you fall in or become tired, stay calm, float on your back and call for help, or if you see someone in the water, throw something that floats to them and resist temptation to go in.”

Drowning Prevention Week takes place 18^th – 25^th June and free resources can be downloaded from www.rlss.org.uk.