West Wight Sports and Community Centre in Freshwater have been supporting RLSS UK’s annual and largest campaign of the year. Drowning Prevention Week 2024 ran from Saturday 15th until 22nd June.
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. We are extremely proud to have spread the RLSS UK’s invaluable message to 1,181 children this year.
Providing water safety lessons to 100s of children and young people
Our team of qualified swim teachers have been busy providing water safety lessons to hundreds of children and young people on the Isle of Wight.
They visited and held assemblies at four local primary schools – Brighstone, Shalfleet Freshwater and Yarmouth and St Saviour’s in Totland. Using a presentation and props they both engaged and educated the children in keeping themselves and others safe around water. In these alone we managed to reach over 580 children.
We also used our private, group and school lessons held at West Wight Sports and Community Centre, as well as free family sessions to further spread the word about remaining safe around bodies of water of any size.
Always consider the potential dangers
Whether heading abroad this summer or opting for a staycation, the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), fears that families will head to beaches and inland water locations this summer, without considering the potential dangers, putting themselves and others at risk.
Those of us who will be venturing abroad for their summer holiday, may find themselves using non-lifeguarded pools and therefore be at risk if they do not have the necessary water safety skills.
Heard: Young people have missed out
The Royal Life Saving Society UK’s Charity Director Lee Heard, said,
“The UK’s beautiful waterways should be places where everyone feels at ease, and can take pleasure from their surroundings, whatever their age, whatever their activity level.
“The Drowning Prevention Week campaign is crucial. In recent years, young people have missed out on the vital opportunity to swim, leaving a dramatic gap in school swimming and water safety education.”
Made possible due to grants and donations
Clare Griffin, Centre Manager at West Wight Sports and Community Centre said,
“I am incredibly proud of what our team of instructors have achieved in delivering water safety education to over 1,000 children across the week. Living on an Island, there is nothing more important that ensuring children are safe near water.
“As a registered charity West Wight Sports and Community Centre is in a unique position to be able to deliver these sessions to our local children. To do this we rely on grants and donations from various organisations and individuals. We are so grateful to these funders who allow us to undertake this very important work.”
News shared by Emily on behalf of West Wight Sports and Community Centre. Ed
