GLL, the UK’s largest operator of swimming facilities through its customer brand, Better, is offering water safety sessions in support of Drowning Prevention Week, the national campaign from the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) which runs 19-26 June.

One person drowns every 20 hours in the UK, with hundreds more suffering from life-changing injuries due to near drowning. Latest statistics show that more people die from drowning in the UK than from road cycling accidents.

With 17 million annual swim visits across 140 Better facilities, GLL recognises the importance of water safety and, as such, is engaging adults and children in a fun yet educational way to ensure they understand the importance of remaining safe and vigilant when in or around water.

Throughout Drowning Prevention Week, over 180,000 pupils in Better Swim School and School Swimming lessons will take part in a water safety-focussed swimming lesson ahead of the summer holidays. Pupils will learn how to spot hazards and dangers, the SAFE code and how to stay safe in and around water.

Andrew Clark, National Sports and Aquatics Manager at GLL said: “As the largest provider of public pools in the UK, 128,000 children access our Swim School lessons every week – as well as many other adults and children that regularly visit our pools. As such, it is crucial that we ensure that we champion the importance of water safety.

“In addition 70,000 pupils attend our School’s Curriculum Swimming Programme, we have a strong commitment to raising attainment levels and influencing the decision makers to ensure every child has the opportunity to learn how to swim and acquire key water safety skills which may save their life or assist in saving others.

“Drowning Prevention Week provides a real focus for us to ‘waterproof’ nearly 200,000 kids ahead of the summer holidays.”

For more information on Drowning Prevention Week or advice on how you can stay safe, visit www.rlss.org.uk