Royal Life Saving Society UK hosts international meeting to help cut drownings.

Lifesavers from across Europe met in Stratford-upon-Avon over the weekend for a special event hosted by the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), the drowning prevention charity.

The charity, based in Broom, Warwickshire, welcomed around 60 guests from countries including Italy, Spain, Croatia, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Ireland and the Netherlands for the International Lifesaving Federation of Europe’s (ILSE) commission meetings 2014.

The annual event, this year hosted in the UK, saw people from various lifesaving organisations gather at the Holiday Inn between January 17 and 19 to share best practice on topics including lifeguarding, drowning prevention and open water safety management as well as to collate shared drowning statistics and discuss youth exchange opportunities.

A number of meetings were also held to discuss items including Sport, Rescue and Education.

RLSS UK Chief Executive, Di Standley, said: “The events over the weekend were a great success and it was an honour to welcome colleagues form across Europe and share ideas and practice with the aim of, together, increasing water safety education and reducing drownings.

“Delegates thoroughly enjoyed the location and they enjoyed Stratford’s wonderful history and setting in the small amount of spare time they had when not talking lifesaving and drowning prevention!”

The next commission meetings will take place in Jan 2015 but the country hosting the event is yet to be announced.