Council backs national Drowning Prevention Week campaign
St Helens Borough Council is urging families to make sure their children know how to stay safe around water this summer, during Drowning Prevention Week (15-22 June).
Article date: June 18th 2024
The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) fears that young people and families will head tocanal's, ponds and lakes this summer without considering the potential dangers, putting themselves and others at risk.
The annual campaign aims to equip everybody across the UK and Ireland with the skills and knowledge, to make the right decisions about water safety.
The council's Community Safety Team alongside the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service Street Intervention Team are out patrolling open water areas and engaged with visitors enjoying these outdoor locations offering advice and highlighting the dangers of swimming there.
The Go Active Team will also be delivering water safety sessions through school swimming and Learn to Swim lessons, where children will experience swimming in clothes and learning valuable skills to prevent drowning. The leisure centres will also have activity books for all children to take home which will raise their awareness of the dangers associated with swimming.
Visit www.rlss.org.uk/DPW to access the charity's free water safety resources.