Words by Cheyanne Bryan
Smiley News ventured down to the Andrew Simpson Sailing Centre in Portsmouth to check out RNLI and Swim England’s Swim Safe initiative.
To add 30,000 extra spaces to the programme, Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and Swim England have partnered with the Royal Yachting Association (RYA). The programme offers 7 to 14-year-olds onboard water safety and lifesaving advice on how to stay safe in open water.
James Woodhouse of the RNLI’s Water Safety team said: ‘Statistics show that children and teenagers accounted for over half of those needing assistance by RNLI lifeguards on our beaches in the summer months last year. By educating them about water safety through the Swim Safe programme from a young age, together we can help reduce the number of incidents involving open water.”
Lauren, a lead instructor at Andrew Simpson Centre, says: “Float to live, is obviously a very important punchline to remember. It really spreads the word that it’s really simple… and it might just save your life one day.”
Since the Swim Safe was established over 10 years ago in 2013, more than 175,000 children aged 7 to 14-year-olds have received lifesaving skills and knowledge about water safety.
Through RYA’s involvement, a wider range of outdoor centres will offer the programme which will aim to reduce the number of negative incidents.
If you are interested in learning more about swim safe or finding a centre near you, head over to their website: https://swimsafe.org.uk/
At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.
Royal Yachting Association (RYA). This is the national governing body for all forms of boating in the UK. They also provide training and support while promoting safe experiences. Learn more here.
Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). This charity works to save lives around the coast of the UK and Ireland with 24/7 lifeboat search and rescue services. Find out more here.
Swim England. This is a national governing body for swimming in England, dedicated to promoting and developing the sport of swimming at all levels. Support them here.
This article aligns with the UN SDG Quality Education, Partnerships For The Goals.
