Children living in Stoke-on-Trent are all set to receive vital water safety education as part of the UK’s drowning prevention charity’s national campaign, Drowning Prevention Week.

Drowning Prevention Week is run by the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) and aims to ensure everyone knows how to have fun and stay safe near water. This year the campaign took place between 18-26 June 2016.

Children aged between three to 15-year-olds in leisure centre’s across the area will be given lessons on how to stay around water and what to do in an emergency during their school swimming lessons and as part of Stoke-on-Trent’s European City of Sport programme.

Around 3,000 children across the area will receive these important skills and messages before the start of the school summer holidays.

RLSS UK’s Chief Executive, Di Steer, said: “Around 400 people needlessly die from drowning in the UK every year and thousands more suffer injury, some life-changing, through near-drowning experiences. Shockingly, one person dies every 20 hours in the UK and drowning is the leading cause of accidental death of children in the UK.

“We want as many children as possible to learn essential water safety skills, that could potentially save lives.

“We thank Stoke-on-Trent Council for getting involved with our campaign and helping to spread water safety messages at such a high risk time of the year.”

Duty Manager at Fenton Manor centre and Approved Training Centre Co-ordinator for the council, Debbie Ralph, said: “We are really excited to be involved in this campaign. It is so important that children learn the basics of water safety especially this time of year when open water can be so tempting and, of course, so many people will be planning to holiday near the sea or hotel pool.

“It actually bought a lump to my throat to see so many children take an active part in the events and really enjoying themselves.Thanks to the teachers for taking it all on board and working so hard to make the events a success.’’

Drowning Prevention Week saw schools, clubs, leisure centres and communities promote water safety through events, lessons, games and activities in a bid to make people more aware of the dangers of water. RLSS UK provides a host of resources including videos, presentations, lesson plans and games every Drowning Prevention Week.

Drowning Prevention Week aims to raise money for the RLSS UK’s wider drowning prevention work, which includes providing support for families affected by drowning or near drowning. Donate now by texting DRPW16+£donation amount to 70070.

For more information on Drowning Prevention Week –

Visit our website at https://www.rlss.org.uk

Follow us on Twitter – @RLSSUK

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

Call – 0300 3230 096