Published: 29 July 2021

Gemma Morton 

As we ramped up to Drowning Prevention Week this year, we encouraged parents to teach their children how to stay safe and enjoy water safely this summer, and you supported us in your droves by sharing our water safety messages far and wide.  

Not that you needed more motivation to share our lifesaving advice, but we offered up the prize of a dryrobe Advance to one lucky person who did just that. 

Winner, Gemma Morton, told us why she got involved: 

“I am a Special Operations Paramedic Team Leader with the Scottish Ambulance Service, my department has various capabilities and most of the staff are trained by Rescue 3 International, to effect safe inland water rescues throughout Scotland.   

I have been involved in many water rescues, as have my colleagues and unfortunately, many have ended up as fatalities.   

Not only have I witnessed the impact this type of loss has on the families, but I also experience the very real impact on me and my colleagues. It is the type of incident we never get used to, they are devastating. 

I often look to RLSS UK for their water awareness campaigns and other information, so I can share them as often as possible. 

Working closely with local partners and other emergency services on projects related to water safety awareness and education, I am now working my hardest to spread the word and help prevent accidental drownings. 

I couldn’t believe it when I won, I didn’t share the messages to win a prize, I just want to do what I can to help stop the tragic loss of life in the water. 

It was a fantastic surprise to find out I’d won. This is me posing with my dryrobe in front of the Special Operations Water Response Vehicle, it was 27 degrees outside so I apologies for the hot flustered look!”  

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Joseph. E. 

A clearly delighted Joseph beams, as he takes clear pleasure in opening his Drowning Prevention Week prize. 

Having signed up for our Drowning Prevention Week e-magazine, Joseph was our lucky winner of four dryrobe Advance products, when he was randomly selected from over 2,000 people, who signed up to spread the water safety word. 

And judging by the look on his face, he’s more than happy with his winning situation – helping everyone enjoy water safely, and coming away with a fantastic prize to boot! 

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Many congratulations to our two winners Gemma and Joseph, and our gratitude to the generosity of our partners, dryrobe.