It’s currently Drowning Prevention Week – a national campaign to reduce the number of drowning and near drowning incidents that occur in the UK every year.
Drowning is the third highest cause of accidental death of children in the UK. Around 400 people needlessly drown in the UK every year – equating to one person every 20 hours – and thousands more suffer injury, some life changing, through near-drowning experiences.
Drowning Prevention Week is run by the Royal Life Saving Society UK, and it encourages schools, clubs, leisure centres and communities to come up with new and exciting ways to show people how they can have fun and stay safe around water. The campaign also aims to raise money for the charity’s drowning prevention programmes.
There are many ways you can take part in Drowning Prevention Week, including:
- Visit the official website and use the free downloads and resources
- Incorporate water safety into swimming lessons
- Perry Walk – hold a sponsored walk around inland water to help teach children about water safety
- Towathon – hold a sponsored tow event in aid of the RLSS UK
- Fundraise or hold collections
- Retweet water safety messages on Twitter and Facebook
- Hold an official DPW event
- Share water safety messages at a local fete or event
For more information about Drowning Prevention Week, please visit the official website.
