National campaign warning students not to drink and drown arrives in Glasgow

Drowning prevention charity’s campaign urges students in Glasgow to stay safe near water at awareness event in the city.
 
The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), the Drowning Prevention Charity, is re-launching its national campaign, Don’t Drink and Drown, warning Glasgow students to steer clear of walking by or entering water when under the influences of alcohol as they return back to university.

RLSS UK’s Don’t Drink and Drown campaign runs from 25 January to 31 January, warning drinkers, particularly students, to act responsibly near water after they have been drinking, and to make sure they and their friends avoid walking home near bodies of water. Research indicates that around a quarter of all adult drowning victims have alcohol in their bloodstream*.

Glasgow students and those on a night out will be warned to steer clear of walking by or entering water when under the influence of alcohol  at an awareness event on 28 January at Glasgow University Union’s Hive night club. Glasgow University students and the charity will be raising awareness and educating students as they enter and leave the club by handing out drinking water and wristbands to club goers.  

Alongside the activity within Glasgow, RLSS UK will be working with universities across the UK and will be a pushing awareness messages to students through social media, with the hashtag #DontDrinkandDrown. People will also be encouraged to share the charities latest hard-hitting film which can be found at www.rlss.org.uk/dont-drink-and-drown.

Di Steer, RLSS UK Chief Executive said: “People die each year after entering the water with alcohol in their bloodstream, either deliberately or completely by accident. Around a third of all 18 to 21-year-old drowning victims have alcohol in their bloodstream*. Drinking near water can be dangerous and a deadly cocktail. Alcohol can seriously impede your ability to survive in water.

“At RLSS UK we work hard to inform and educate people of the dangers and advise the public to never go into water when you have been drinking and always take care and be aware if you are near water.

“When walking home from a night out, avoid routes that are alongside water, particularly in the darkness, and always stay with and look out for your friends.”

RLSS UK Ambassador, Jackie Roberts, tragically lost her 20-year-old student daughter Megan when she fell into the River Ouse in York, when walking home after a night out with friends from York St John University in January 2014.

She said: “January is the time when Megan died and is a particularly dangerous time as students come back to university following the Christmas break. This makes students extremely vulnerable especially when the rivers tend to be extremely high and the dark and cold make it much easier for accidents to happen.

“Since losing Megan to drowning I have been actively involved in drowning prevention work with RLSS UK. I fully support the RLSS UK’s campaign, Don’t Drink and Drown and hope that awareness events in Glasgow will make people aware of how dangerous of being near water when under the influence of alcohol – let’s avoid any more tragedies wherever possible.”