Published 13 September 2016 

The UK’s Drowning Prevention Charity, the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), is set to relocate its headquarters to Worcester for 2017.

The national charity, currently based in Broom, Warwickshire, will be moving to its new London Road headquarters to enable it to continue to grow and raise its profile in a busy city location.

RLSS UK has seen significant growth and change over the past few years which has led to a need to relocate to ensure its base is fit for the future while remaining proud of its 125-year Royal heritage.

RLSS UK CEO, Di Steer, said: “We are thrilled to announce our relocation to Worcester. Although our current headquarters has been an excellent home for 20 years, the charity needs to look forward and a city location will offer more opportunities for growth and a higher profile.

“This will enable us to, ultimately, reach more members of the public with our essential water messages, advice and skills to help make a difference and save lives, as well as being able to better support our network of clubs and branches across the UK.

“We already have a number of links to Worcester and Worcestershire and are looking forward to building on these and becoming an integral part of the business and local communities, where we hope there is huge potential to build relationships.”

RLSS UK is the UK’s leading provider of water safety and drowning prevention education and aims to reduce the number of people who tragically lose their lives to drowning. Around 400 people drown in the UK each year, the equivalent of one person every 20 hours.

As well as educational, awareness and fundraising campaigns, RLSS UK also offers Rookie Lifeguard and Survive & Save lifesaving awards programmes and a host of other lifesaving and CPR programmes including its ‘Save A Life’ series.

Also, through its trading subsidiary, IQL UK, there are more than 90,000 RLSS UK Pool Lifeguards in the UK trained in the National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ). Around 95 per cent of all pool lifeguards are trained by the RLSS UK.

RLSS UK currently employs 65 full and part-time staff and has more than 10,000 volunteers across the UK and Ireland, many of whom belong to RLSS UK clubs and branches.

Di added: “We are looking forward to the move and meeting as many new people as possible. I will be soon contacting local businesses, schools, organisations and groups to introduce RLSS UK.”

Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership part funded the Royal Life Saving Society’s expansion to its new headquarters with a grant of £100,000 via the Worcestershire Growth

Fund, financed by the Government’s Growth Deal. This fund is designed to create jobs in the County and enable business expansion and is administered by Worcestershire County Council.

Gary Woodman, Chief Executive of Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “I’m pleased to welcome the Royal Life Saving Society UK to the county and to be able to support its expansion through the Growth Fund. It is great news that such a reputable charity has been able to benefit by relocating within the county, with many others recognising the opportunities available. The creation of new jobs is good news for the local area.”

RLSS UK worked with property experts Lambert Smith Hampton and Worcestershire commercial property consultancy GJS Dillon Limited as well as Waldrons Solicitors, Worcester, to secure the move. It continues to work with Birmingham-based interior design and workplace consultancy business Hi Design and works to prepare the building for the move begins this month.

An official opening will also be planned for early 2017.

For more information on RLSS UK –

Visit our website at www.rlss.org.uk

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram – @RLSSUK

Visit our Facebook page – www.facebook.com/RLSSUK

Join our LinkedIn page – @rlssuk

Call – 0300 323 0096