21 August 2019
Photos provided by, left Wibit, right Just Wake

The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) has launched the UK’s first accreditation scheme for UK aqua parks, introducing a recognised and consistent safety standard, making accredited aqua parks some of the safest in the world.

RLSS UK, the UK’s leading water safety charity, worked with the UK Aqua Park Steering Group to develop the new system for the rapidly expanding sector. Since the first UK aqua park launched back in 2014, there are now more than 40 operators running parks offering family-friendly, water-based inflatable obstacle courses featuring activities from trampolines and slides to hurdles and climbing walls.

Aqua Park Cardiff, Aqua Park Rutland, Lincoln Water Park and Just Wake - Tattershall Lake Water Park, are the first parks to complete the ground-breaking accreditation process with RLSS UK and have each been awarded the Industry Approved aqua park status.

This Industry Approved status demonstrates that they have met the operational standards set out within the RLSS UK guidance and have the correct documents, procedures, staff and training in place for all sessions.

“As a previously unregulated but growing sector, we have been working with RLSS UK since 2017 to develop these new standards to drive high levels of safety in aqua parks. Our parks attract people of all ages and abilities and are increasingly popular with families, so safety is absolutely paramount,” says Suzi Nightingale, Director at Just Wake - Tattershall Lake Water Park and Lincoln Water Park, founding members of the UK Aqua Park Steering Group.

Helen James, Director of the Aquaparks Group, added: “We are really proud to be leading industry standards in the UK and to announce that our sites Aqua Park Rutland and Aqua Park Cardiff have been awarded RLSS UK Approved status. Both parks have been instrumental in the design of the framework and in piloting the programme, which gives our customers the confidence they are in safe hands at our parks.”

“I’d like to thank the UK Aqua Park Steering Group and its forward-thinking operators for their invaluable assistance in developing these standards for the aqua park sector. Their knowledge, experience and drive to ensure the highest levels of safety will help secure a successful, sustainable and above all safe future for UK aqua parks and their customers,” says Helen Bowker, Commercial Manager at RLSS UK.

For more information on the RLSS UK Industry Approved Aqua Park accreditation scheme click here.