Children across the UK are being given the chance to learn vital life saving skills as part of the Amateur Swimming Association’s (ASA) Get Safe 4 Summer campaign.
On average, one person drowns in the UK every 17 hours and drowning is still the third highest cause of accidental death amongst children with most occurring in inland waters such as rivers, lakes and ponds.
The ASA will be working in partnership with the Royal Life Saving Society and the National PE, School Sports and Club Links Strategy (PESSCL) to deliver important water safety messages for children to take with them when they visit coastal and inland waters over the summer holidays.
Get Safe 4 Summer is now in its fifth year and with the support of Britain’s top Olympic aquatic athletes over 1,500 children will be taught vital water safety skills at schools and leisure centres throughout June and July.
Olympic swimmer Steve Parry learnt to swim after falling from a boat into the River Thames at the age of seven.
“I remember that day and I was terrified,” he said. “I could have drowned and I’d hate for any other child to go through that. A few simple skills could be the difference between life and death – it’s as simple as that – and the Get Safe 4 Summer campaign is a great way of reinforcing safety messages in a fun way.”
“Teenage boys are most at risk of drowning, but hopefully by teaching them about the dangers at a younger age they will realise that bravado can easily turn into tragedy.”
ASA Chief Executive David Sparkes realises the importance of the water safety campaign and sees it benefiting all children participating.
“As the national governing body for swimming we have a key role in promoting water safety,” he said. “We hope this year’s participating schools will see the benefit of the Get Safe 4 Summer campaign and we are committed to improving it even further by working with more schools and partners in the future to reduce the number of accidents in the UK.”
-ENDS-
For more information contact ASA Media Assistant Gemma Field on 01509 632262, 07917 726431 or email gemma.field@swimming.org
Notes to the editors:
Fact & Figures
Every 17 hours someone in the UK drowns
On average 450 - 500 people drown every year
Drowning in this country is the 3rd highest cause of accidental death in children
At least three quarters of drowning victims are male
In 2005 75 children drowned whilst on holiday abroad
Drowning locations:
Approx 20% of all drownings are at coastal locations
Approx 62% of all drownings are at inland waters - rivers, lakes, canals, reservoirs etc
The remaining 18% are roughly broken up as follows:
Home baths - 10%
Swimming pools - 4%
Garden ponds - 3%
Other - 1%
The safest place to swim or bathe is a beach or swimming pool protected by qualified lifeguards
Pre-school children are most at risk from the domestic environment: the bath, a garden pond or a water butt
Older children are more vulnerable at open water sites, usually away from parental supervision.
The Amateur Swimming Association is the English National Governing Body for Swimming, Diving, Water Polo, Open Water, and Synchronised Swimming. It organises competition throughout England, establishes the Laws of the Sport and operates comprehensive certification and education programmes for Teachers, Coaches and Officials as well as its renowned Learn To Swim Awards scheme. The ASA supports 1,600 affiliated swimming clubs through a National/Regional/County structure. The ASA aims to ensure everybody has an opportunity to learn to swim.
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