water safety – Page 3 – The NEN

The weather hots up – but are you hot on water safety?

As the heatwave sweeping across the UK continues, the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) fears that many people will head to waterways in a bid to cool off from the 30+ degrees reported to hit some regions this week.

A 16-year-old boy tragically lost his life to drowning in Lancashire over the weekend and the charity is urging people to ensure enjoying the water is fun and not fatal.

Lee Heard, Charity Director at RLSS UK said: “Every year during the summer we see a sharp rise in the number of accidental drownings in the UK as many people look to cool off on hot summer days like we are experiencing currently.

“I deeply regret to say we have already seen a number of drownings already in the past few weeks as the temperatures have soared.

“It is vital to ensure that everyone has an understanding of water safety and makes it their responsibility to educate their family and friends on how water can be enjoyed safely to prevent such tragedies. In July 2021, there were 49 accidental drowning fatalities in the space of just two weeks in the UK.

“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.”

The Royal Life Saving Society UK has some simple and easy to follow tips on its website and social media channels to help keep families safe this summer, including their five summer water safety tips:

Look out for Lifeguards
If you’re looking for a place to cool off, always find a lifeguarded swimming site.
It’s colder than it looks
Water at open and inland sites is often much colder than it looks, cold water can affect your ability to swim and self-rescue.
Don’t go too far
Always swim parallel to the shore, that way you’re never too far away from it.
It’s stronger than it looks
Currents in the water can be very strong. If you find yourself caught in a current – don’t swim against it – you’ll tire yourself out. Stay calm, swim with the current and call for help.
Bring a friend
Always bring a friend when you go swimming so if anything goes wrong, you’ve got someone there to help.

Lee continued: “We often see people trying to cool off in lakes, quarries, rivers and other waterways when we experience extremely warm weather like this week brings, and many of these people do not have the experience of swimming in these waters and that is where we see people getting into trouble.

“As a result we then see others trying to help those in difficulty by going into the water themselves to attempt a rescue which can have fatal consequences.

“ 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.”

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

More than 300,000 children reached during water safety campaign

Lee Heard, Charity Director at the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) has sent his thanks to those who engaged with the charity’s annual Drowning Prevention Week as the campaign drew to a close on 25th June.

Drowning Prevention Week which has just ran for the ninth consecutive year aims to proactively raise awareness of water safety ahead of a summer outdoors. Throughout the week the Royal Life Saving Society UK asked people to engage and share posts, including a brand-new animation, across social media platforms, engaged with MPs at events at Westminster, and also offered schools, leisure centres, swimming clubs and parents a range of free educational resources to ensure that families are well prepared for a safe summer enjoying water safely.

Lee said “I wanted to say a huge thank you to all our members, staff, supporters, and strategic partners who have played a role in sharing our vital water safety messaging this year. I cannot communicate how grateful we are for the support and are still seeing lots of activity coming through.

“Since January I have been calling for a concerted effort to give everyone the skills to enjoy water safely this summer. It’s a message that requires everyone to roll up their sleeves and find ways to get this vital message out into their communities.

“It takes individuals, small and large organisations, water safety partners, leisure partners, local authorities, MPs, emergency services, schools, landowners, water companies and many more. We are exceptionally proud of everybody that has taken the time to make our vital campaign grow again this year.”

For the 2022 campaign, the charity aimed to take a slightly different approach to their national media campaign, working hard to better understand the claims that are often made about water safety and drowning prevention.

They aimed to shine a light on the importance of swimming but further explore the need for parents to invest additional time in themselves and their family understanding water safety.

These conversations are ones that the charity want to continue post Drowning Prevention Week and explore further. Another vital topic that the charity focussed on was the issue of cold water shock. Royal Life Saving Society UK analysed fatalities leading from cold water and stressed the importance to continue to highlight this critical factor in drowning and leverage tools to educate the public using expert knowledge that the charity holds.

Drowning Prevention Week saw great success with the campaign, with thousands of views of their brand-new 60-second animation encouraging everybody across the UK and Ireland to enjoy water safely, which meant it appeared over 173,000 times across social media networks.

The animation directed children and parents to free educational resources and this year, the charity exceeded the number of downloads during Drowning Prevention Week when compared to 2021, and the estimated number of children to be taught is over 300,000.

Lee added: “We have worked with national and local news agencies to support the delivery of over 150 Drowning Prevention Week press articles and over 150 radio and TV broadcasts, to raise awareness of the importance of water safety.

“We have attended parliament with 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.

“There have been over 3,500 social media posts relating to #DrowningPreventionWeek, reflecting the fantastic engagement generated by the campaign. We have been able to draw on our recent survey and analysis to encourage discussion on Twitter around important water safety debates, for example ‘Is Swimming Enough?’ acknowledged by English former competitive swimmer, Sharron Davies as ‘a great thread’ and our other messages have shown resonance with victims’ families.

“At the Royal Life Saving Society UK, our aim is to ensure as many people as possible are safe in the knowledge that they, and their children, have the skills and understanding about water safety to keep them safe.  Now that Drowning Prevention Week is over for another year, we will continue to work hard to raise awareness of water safety.”

Water safety campaigns continue throughout the year and the next comes direct from the National Water Safety Forum and partners for World Drowning Prevention Day on 25th July 2025.

Visit our website at rlss.org.uk

Visit our Facebook page – facebook.com/RLSSUK

Call – 0300 323 0096

Crisis facing our swimming pools

RLSS: Why more people could drown

The energy crisis is hurting swimming pool operators up and down the country, with many fearing for their future, seriously impacting their ability to help their community enjoy water safely. Soaring fuel costs could herald a reduction in pool programmes and even threaten the closure of much loved and needed community pools.

It couldn’t have come at a worse time for the sector. The lasting impact of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), staff shortages, and now sharp and severe price hikes are putting operators under extraordinary pressure and presenting real threats to the nation’s stock of swimming pools.

Our friends at some of the most influential groups in the industry have written to Michael Gove and Nadine Dorries – Secretary of State for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and Secretary of State for Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport, respectively. The letter voices their concerns and calls for urgent support to save leisure facilities from closure. Read more here.

At the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), we foresee the impact of swimming pools closing as an increase in drownings.

In 2020 swimming pools were closed due to COVID-19, and people flocked to beaches, rivers, lakes, and other waters to have fun. Many children hadn’t had swimming lessons for some time and had missed out on their regular visits to the pool with friends or family. This resulted in a drop in water confidence and swimming ability and has unfortunately ultimately resulted in a year-on-year increase in UK accidental drownings through 2020 and 2021.

We know swimming pools are one of the safest places to enjoy water. Many pools have lifeguards and staff trained to educate users to enjoy the facilities in a safe and fun manner. Swimming pools are such an important part of a community. It is unthinkable that pool closures will mean more children potentially losing out on the life skills of learning to swim and how to enjoy water safely – simply because they do not have a pool to learn and swim in!

We are working with the sector to help navigate these challenging times, particularly by supporting operators to keep their pools open by ensuring they have highly qualified lifeguards in post.

A shortage of lifeguards is an additional challenge that pools are facing. Lifeguards are critical to the safe operation of swimming pools and providing a secure environment for people to enjoy the water and learn to swim.

Our National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ) ensures the highest of standards and is the most awarded lifeguard qualification in the UK and Ireland (95% of all UK pool lifeguards).

In recent RLSS UK surveys, 99 per cent of RLSS UK candidates told us they felt proud to hold a RLSS UK regulated qualification, and almost three-quarters (71 per cent) of lifeguards told us they felt proud to know how to save a person’s life, with 60 per cent also gaining satisfaction from being part of a highly respected profession. Rightly so, as a recent consumer survey revealed five in six UK adults think that it is important that an indoor pool has trained lifeguards present.

Any swimmer aged 16-years or older can become a NPLQ lifeguard in just five days, and there are currently 350 lifeguard courses advertised throughout the country in June and July.

A lifeguard qualification is a fantastic springboard for a range of careers, from the emergency services and the military to the leisure sector. #IStartedAsALifeguard

Lifeguards and public swimming pools play a unique role in our society. They provide affordable access to one of the most universally accessible forms of exercise, offering huge benefits for mental and physical health. They are also places where both children and adults learn the skills that could one day save their life. We cannot afford to lose them. That is why we will continue to lend our support to the sector and raise awareness in government of the challenges facing pool operators to help prevent the loss of these valuable assets.

At RLSS UK, we work tirelessly to educate people to enjoy water safely.

To download our free water safety education resources click here.

For information on RLSS UK’s Drowning Prevention Week, click here.

Visit our Facebook page – facebook.com/RLSSUK

Call – 0300 323 0096

Are you doing enough to tackle water safety?

If you have a body of water on your land and people can access it, you must take steps to mitigate the risks. It is time to act!

Did you know that most victims of accidental drownings never intended to enter the water in the first place? The most recent published figures from the National Water Safety Forum (2020) show that most drownings occurred while people were walking or running next to water.

This is a sobering reminder of why it is imperative to ensure that any body of water you are responsible for, from rivers and lakes to ponds and reservoirs, is made safe for those who can access it – think employees, residents, visitors, as well as members of the public. And RLSS UK Consultancy Services can help.

Assessing the risks

As one of the most experienced water safety advisory services in the UK and Ireland, the RLSS UK has provided clear to follow, impartial, and practical water safety advice and expertise for more than 130 years.

Whether you are a construction company or private landowner, a local authority, or a leisure operator, we can help you manage water safety to help you confidently meet your obligations under the Health & Safety Act.

Regardless of the form your body of water takes, you must take all necessary steps to ensure it is safe. We start with a full risk assessment – an essential piece of work to review your operations and activities so we can identify the risks and how to alleviate them.

In January, there was pressure on the UK Government and Parliament to make risk assessments of all bodies of water (natural and man-made) mandatory. This was part of a debate on the addition of throwline stations around open bodies of water following the death of 18-year-old Mark Allen, who drowned in 2018 after jumping into a reservoir on a hot summer day.

The following May, three throwlines were installed where he died. Mark could have possibly been saved if they were in place beforehand.

Government response on 1 July 2021 included: “This tragic loss of life highlights the importance of the landowner’s responsibility to assess and act on the risks posed by open bodies of water on their land.”

Bespoke solutions for your needs

There is no one solution to water safety. Following a thorough risk assessment, our consultants will advise you of the most cost-effective options that meet the particular characteristics of your water environment. These could include:

Training – identifying training most suitable for your needs and linking you with appropriate trainers.
Operational Planning – auditing your Normal Operating Procedures and Emergency Action Plans (Safe Systems of Work) to identify gaps and potential improvements.
Working with your site and team to develop systems that complement operational needs.
Signage – surveying your site to assess whether signage is necessary, advise if your current signage is appropriate and up to date, and make recommendations for improvements.
Public Rescue Equipment – helping you identify the most appropriate installations, inspecting current arrangements, and making recommendations for improvements as required.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)– using current safety standards to advise on the best site and situation-specific PPE.

Giving you peace of mind

Remember, it is not just the public you need to consider. Employers and the self-employed whose activities are close to open water must also take the correct steps to prevent employees and other people from coming to harm due to their work activities under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

Our expertise extends across all water environments, no matter how big or small. We can work with you to develop a bespoke solution that meets your specific water safety needs and results in a safer environment giving you peace of mind.

With more and more people drawn to open water, tragedies like those suffered by Mark Allen occur every year.

We believe that every accidental drowning is preventable. As the go-to water safety consultancy, our team of experts can work with you on all aspects of safety in and around water to help prevent accidental drownings in your waters.

Get in touch now to learn how we can help keep your waters safe at learnmore@rlss.org.uk or https://www.rlss.org.uk/forms/consultancy-services-contact-form.

Public urged to Respect The Water

Latest statistics show accidental drowning deaths increased again last year, with more dying at inland water than around the coast

There were 277 deaths in the UK from accidental drownings in 2021 across inland and coastal locations. This is an increase of 23 from the previous year. Accidental drownings form part of the total water-related fatalities in the UK – for 2021 the total number of deaths in water was 616, a decrease of 15 from the previous year.

The statistics and figures in the report are from the Water Incident Database (WAID), which is maintained by the National Water Safety Forum (NWSF), and the key accidental drowning death insights are as follows:

• Inland open waters, such as rivers, canals, lakes, reservoirs and quarries continue to be the leading locations with 62 per cent of deaths (N=168).

• Males continue to over represent with 83 per cent of deaths (N=230).

• 40 per cent of people had no intention to enter the water, such as those walking, with causes including slips, trips and falls, being cut off by the tide, or being swept in by waves (N= 107).

Following this concerning increase in accidental water-related deaths last year, the National Water Safety Forum (NWSF) is reminding people of the following lifesaving advice to help people enjoy our waterways and coastlines, particularly as warmer weather arrives, but water temperatures remain dangerously cold.

If you get into trouble in the water, Float to Live.
Lean back and use your arms and legs to help you float, then get control of your breathing before calling for help or swimming to safety.
If you see someone else in trouble in the water, call 999 or 112. If you are at the coast ask for the coastguard, if you are inland, ask for the fire service.

The collaborating members of the NWSF, come from a wide range of sectors including sports governing bodies, rescue services, charities, regulators, navigation and harbour authorities, local government, utilities and those representing quarry operators.

Later this summer NWSF will be launching its new #RespectTheWater campaign ahead of UN World Drowning Prevention Day on July 25^th.

The campaign will be promoted nationally to raise awareness of key safety advice and support the Forum’s mission to reduce drowning.

Dawn Whittaker, CEO East Sussex Fire Rescue Service & NWSF Chair said: “The pandemic continued to present considerable challenges at our coastal and inland waterways last year as more people had staycations.

“The #RespectTheWater campaign is designed to help prevent further deaths and injuries in water.

“We urge the public to understand the dangers, to learn the importance of knowing how to float to live, and to call 999 if others are in trouble and if there is a water related emergency.

“We have seen increased numbers participating in water sports and water-based activities and consequently a rise of the number of incidents associated with activities such as Stand-up Paddle boarding and Open Water Swimming. We want people to enjoy the water safely, so we will continue to focus on guidance, education and awareness for the public.

“We will continue to work together to reduce deaths caused by drowning and water related injuries in the UK, and endeavour to reach our collective goal of halving accidental drownings in the UK by 2026. The global water safety community is onboard with a UN resolution recognising the scale and burden of drowning, calling for urgent international action.”

To view and download the WAID 2021 report visit:

https://www.nationalwatersafety.org.uk/waid

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 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.

“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.

“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 when the warmer weather is here.”

RLSS UK Deploys Drone Technology to Support Water Safety Rescues

The Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS UK) is launching the UK’s first water rescue Emergency Drone Piloting Award.

The water safety and lifeguarding experts, have partnered with innovative Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) and Drone specialists Eagle Eye Innovations (EEI) to create a unique water rescue award, launching this month.

The Emergency Response Drone Pilot Award offers candidates the opportunity to learn the skills, technical knowledge and legalities of using and operating a drone to assist with water-based rescues.

The drones are fully waterproof, specially designed for rescues and can find a person in difficulty and deploy a torpedo buoy or inflatable lifesaving device, allowing precious time for a lifeguard or Emergency Services to reach the casualty.

The course content is Civil Aviation Authority approved and covers; rules and regulations of formal drone flying in the UK, practical drone flying techniques and the lifesaving skills required to perform emergency actions with a drone that preserves life until rescuers arrive.

Upon completion, candidates will receive three accreditations: a CAA A2 Certificate of Competency (A2 C of C), a General Visual Line of Sight Certificate (GVA) and a RLSS UK Emergency Response Drone Pilot Award.

RLSS UK was established more than 130 years ago and is acknowledged worldwide as an expert in lifeguarding and water safety. They have a proud history of helping to reduce the number of lives lost to drowning and sharing their lifesaving knowledge to save lives and ensure everyone can enjoy water safely.

Eagle Eye Innovations (EEI) are a unique company within the still fledgling Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS). They are the longest-running RPAS Academy in the UK, with unrivalled experience -including RAF trained instructors with over 70+ years combined and Military Search and Rescue qualified instructors.

EEI is responsible for training much of the UK’s police force and other emergency services.

Robert Gofton, Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), said: “We are excited to be partnering with EEI on this pioneering new rescue award.

“Concerningly accidental water-related deaths increased in 2021. If using the latest technologies, such as drones, can preserve life until rescuers can reach a casualty, it can only lead to saving more lives and stopping families from suffering tragedy of losing a loved one.”

Sion Roberts, Managing Director, EEI, said: “The partnership we have established with the RLSS UK brings an exceptional team that can emphasise and educate the disruptive capability of Remotely Piloted technology, through professional training processes and world-class instructors.

The flying skills and knowledge that the candidates will learn from the course will add a unique and lifesaving capability to their existing skillsets. It’s another great example of using Drones for Good”.

Tony Weston, who attended the trial course, said: “Wow – what a week, learning a new life skill – flying a drone that could aid the saving of lives! The experience was memorable, and the training team were excellent.”

The award is ideally suited to Emergency Services – Fire Rescue and Police, Local Authorities, Open Water Venues, Triathlon Clubs, Canal & River Trusts, Landowners, River Rescue, Search & Rescue companies. The first course is on Monday 25 – Friday 29 April 2022 at RLSS UK’s headquarters in Worcester.

For more information, please visit www.rlss.org.uk/emergency-response-drone-pilot-award

For more information on RLSS UK:

Visit our website at rlss.org.uk

Visit our Facebook page – facebook.com/RLSSUK

Call – 0300 323 0096

RLSS UK and partners aim to make UK’s aqua parks among the safest in the world

The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) is working with The Aqua Parks Association UK & Ireland to ensure the safety of the fast-growing industry as the UK looks forward to another bumper staycation summer.

Aqua parks first launched in the UK in 2015. Today, there are approximately 65 parks in the UK. Suitable for adults and children alike, the floating assault courses offer a variety of obstacles ranging from climbing walls and trampolines to water slides and runways.

The sector has boomed during the pandemic with the launch of new parks and established operators expanding their aqua park offering.

RLSS UK is working closely with The Aqua Parks Association UK & Ireland – formerly the Aqua Parks Steering Group – to promote safety standards in the industry to maintain public confidence in UK aqua parks.

The association has developed a set of minimum industry standards and launched the UK’s first accreditation scheme for aqua parks. The accreditation scheme introduced a recognised and consistent safety standard, making accredited UK aqua parks some of the safest in the world. As appointed auditor for the association, RLSS UK audits parks that have signed up to the accreditation scheme.

Consumers should look out for aqua parks that hold the Industry Approved Aqua Park status; awarded to aqua parks that have met the operational and equipment standards set out within the guidance.

There are two accreditations: ‘Silver’ shows that an aqua park has the correct documents, procedures, staff, and training in place for all the sessions they run, while the ‘Gold’ accreditation indicates that the aqua park not only meets all the operational standards demanded by ‘Silver’ accreditation but also that all its equipment has been third-party tested to meet ISO 25649.

(The International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) is an international standard-setting body composed of representatives from various national standards organisations).

Helen Bowker-Steer, Head of Commercial Services, said: “It is an exciting time for the aqua park industry – the development of the Aqua Park Association UK and Ireland in 2021 is a huge step forward.

“The industry now has a voice. It also has an elected board of individuals with the safety and success of the industry at its core. As the auditing partner for the Aqua Parks Association UK and Ireland, RLSS UK is committed to supporting all aqua parks which sign up for the industry approved process.”

From Down Under to the UK: Lifeguard Maxi spreads water safety message with RLSS UK

This April will see TV star Trent Maxwell, more commonly known as ‘Lifeguard Maxi’ swap Australia’s world famous Bondi Beach for the waters of the UK and Ireland on a tour to spread the message about water safety.

To kickstart the tour, Maxi will be joined by former Olympian, Sports Scientist, Physical Activity Expert and trainer to the stars, Professor Greg Whyte OBE for an open water sunrise swim at Caversham Lakes in Reading on April 8^th.

For the rest of his trip Maxi will be working with national charity and leader in lifesaving and lifeguarding training across the UK and Ireland, the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) to volunteer his time to deliver the important water safety messages to children across the UK and Ireland.

On his open water sunrise swim, Maxi said: “An open water swim with the legend Greg Whyte will be a brilliant, but chilly start to my tour! I can’t wait to then set off and meet with children across the UK to spread the word about water safety.

“Delivering these key messages might mean that lives can be saved this summer and beyond.”

Greg added: “’As a result of lockdown 2 million children missed the opportunity to swim leading to 1 million children leaving primary school unable to swim.

“Maxi’s campaign, in collaboration with RLSS UK, to deliver his water safety message has never been more important. I can’t wait to swim at sunrise with Maxi, it will be a few degrees colder that Bondi!”

Open water swimming has seen a rise in popularity over recent years with its benefits well documented.

Charity Director at RLSS UK, Lee Heard said: “There are numerous fantastic benefits to participating in open water swimming such as boosting your immune system; activating endorphins for a natural high; improving your circulation; reducing stress; as well as being a great form of exercise.

“To ensure that open water swimming can be enjoyed safely, we at the Royal Life Saving Society UK, have worked with Professor Greg Whyte to devise a cold water exposure 2 week home plan – Sponge to Plunge. The plan is a safe way to reduce the impact of cold water immersion so please take a look if you are looking to take the plunge!”

Ahead of his tour, where Maxi will visit RLSS UK Lifesaving Clubs to meet as many children and Rookie Lifeguards as possible, he added: “I want to meet as many kids as I can throughout April so together with RLSS UK we can prevent drowning this summer.

“Lifesaving clubs are at the heart of a community, they support young people and their families, so we all enjoy water safely, and return home at the end of day. They have been hit hard in the pandemic so we want to deliver some smiles, fun and most importantly valuable water safety lessons around the UK and Ireland ahead of summer.”

Maxi will be visiting numerous clubs throughout the UK and Ireland as he travels from Cornwall to Devon to South Wales to Nottingham. He then travels across the water to Ireland before returning to visit Scotland and the North East before he heads home for Sydney on 2^nd May.

Maxi and RLSS UK invite children from all communities to attend an event near them to learn more about water safety and discover a RLSS UK Lifesaving Club in their area.

Lee Heard added: “Delivering water safety education is vitally important and working with Maxi to speak to even more young people is something we are excited about.

“In July 2021 we had 49 accidental drownings in just two weeks in UK waters, so delivering water safety messages such as this will help to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to enjoy water safely in the future.”

To help deliver the message Lifeguard Maxi and RLSS UK are calling for donations to help fund the not-for-profit tour to deliver the message to as many children in the UK and Ireland as possible.

Maxi added: “We would love for you to give what you can and feel part of something special that is happening to prevent drowning this summer.”

All donors will be entered into a draw to win either: a chance to meet Maxi in person at an event in England, Scotland or Ireland; a signed book pack of Maxi’s four books with a Lifeguard Maxi pencil case and signed photograph; or a Maxis Rescue Squad T-shirt and one year’s membership to Maxi’s Rescue Squad online education program with pencil case and signed photographs.

To donate to the help spread water safety messages and prevent drownings, visit www.rlss.org.uk/Appeal/maxi-to-the-rescue.

To find out more about Sponge to Plunge go www.rlss.org.uk/sponge-to-plunge

Visit our Facebook page – facebook.com/RLSSUK

Call – 0300 323 0096

Young people speak up to give drowning the boot

National lifesaving charity warns there could be a steep increase in accidental drownings this summer

A rise in drowning figures has prompted the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) to encourage parents to teach their children how to stay safe and enjoy water safely this summer, as part of its national Drowning Prevention Week campaign, 19-26 June 2021.

Throughout 2020 and 2021, millions of children have missed out on vital swimming, lifesaving skills and water safety education during the pandemic due to pool closures, leaving a dramatic gap in school swimming and water safety education.

Young people from low incomes and ethnic minority communities have been the hardest hit. A staggering 95 per cent of black adults and 80 per cent of black children do not swim, and this gap has widened still further as a result of Covid-19.

Accidental drowning takes an average of 402 UK and Irish citizens each year, and the Royal Life Saving Society UK fears that with lockdown restrictions lifting and staycations on the up, families will flock to inland water locations and beaches this summer, without the right knowledge and skills, putting themselves and others at risk.

Fourteen-year-old Teya Davies tragically died after slipping into Sniggy Pond in Widnes, trying to help her friend who had fallen into the water before her.

Teya’s story is not a ‘one off’- it’s one of many, so RLSS UK has teamed up with Teya’s friends and family to create a powerful video highlighting the importance of water safety, in Teya’s honour.

Teya’s friend, Liv Eren said: “We sadly lost our friend, Teya, at the age of 14. When looking back on Teya’s story, we now know how preventable her death could have been if only she knew how to swim, or to keep herself safe in the water.

“We are pleased to do our bit to prevent others from going through the heartache of losing a friend like we have.”

RLSS UK’s Charity Director Lee Heard, said: “We are surrounded by opportunities to be in or near water. Whatever their age and activity level, everyone should be having fun, creating memories and feeling at ease around the water. The inequality in access to swimming and water safety education, and subsequent lack of potential interaction with the water is a big concern.

“RLSS UK believes that through free, accessible education and training, everyone can enjoy water safely, have fun in the water and develop an essential life skill. We urge as many parents and carers as possible to get involved with the campaign, use our free online resources, and give children the skills to enjoy a lifetime of fun in the water.”

Schools Minister Nick Gibb said: “We want every primary school pupil to learn to swim and to have water safety lessons, not just because it can improve their physical health but also because it is an important life skill.

“The Royal Life Saving Society UK’s work in raising awareness about the importance of water safety is very welcome, adding to the work we continue to do with schools to promote water safety and swimming.

“We must do all we can to eliminate the tragedy of children drowning.”

Statistics (based on five-year average totals) show:

• Over 55% of parents surveyed said they would not be confident their child would know what to do if they fell into open water

• 1 in 3 of those surveyed said their swimming abilities limited the activities they could do • Drowning is one of the leading causes of death in children and the risk of drowning increases from the age of 15

• More than 46% never intended to be in water

• 62.4% of accidental drowning happen in inland water

• Over 80% of those who drown accidently, are male

Drowning Prevention Week aims to equip everybody across the UK and Ireland with the skills and knowledge, to make the right decisions about water safety.

The Royal Life Saving Society UK believes that drowning is preventable and that even one drowning is one too many. The Charity has produced a range of free water safety advice, resources and online lessons to help parents, schools, leisure centres and other organisations to teach water safety to children.