Swim Safe: Free Outdoor Water Safety Sessions Returns to Plas Menai

Swim Safe teaches children aged 8 years and older on how to stay safe when swimming outdoors, which is often more challenging than swimming in a pool. The programme is supported by Swim Wales and Swim England, the national governing bodies for swimming, and the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution), the charity that saves lives at sea.

The free, hour-long Swim Safe sessions are run by qualified swimming teachers, RNLI lifeguards and supported by a team of trained volunteers. Practical, interactive, educational and fun, each session includes 15 minutes of land-based safety with a lifeguard and then it is into the water for practical tuition with a swimming teacher. Wetsuits, swimming hats and a free goody bag with a t-shirt are all provided. Children must be able to swim at least 25 metres to take part.

School sessions are still available between 3-7 July where pupils can join the Plas Menai Swim Safe team and learn how to stay safe when swimming outdoors this summer. But the safety sessions aren’t just reserved for schools; parents can sign up their children to the free event and help them learn vital safety skills over the summer holidays.

Schools and parents can register their interest and book their place by visiting https://swimsafe.org.uk.

Since Swim Safe started in 2013 with just one site in Bude, over 18,000 sessions have taken place across the country – last year over 7,000 children took part. Now in its fifth year, the programme continues to grow and in 2017, Swim Safe sessions will take place at 20 sites across the UK and Ireland including beaches, lakes, reservoirs and other inland locations.

Hope Filby, Swim Safe Coordinator at Plas Menai said: ‘Children love swimming outdoors; but it’s important that people learn that swimming in the sea, rivers and lakes is more challenging than swimming in a pool, where most lessons take place. We’d like to invite people to sign up and join the Swim Safe team to learn vital lifesaving skills this summer.’

Children from local schools will also get the chance to meet members of the Emergency Services and Governing Bodies in Plas Menai on 5 July. The Safety in the Outdoors Day, which is run alongside Swim Safe, will see Emergency Services and Governing Bodies join to share key lifesaving skills of how to stay safe when enjoying the outdoors and offer a variety of outdoor activities.

For more information on how to take part in Swim Safe or the Safety in the Outdoors Day on Wednesday 5 July contact Plas Menai on 0300 300 3112.

RNLI media contact

For more information contact Eleri Roberts, RNLI PR Manager on 01745 585162 / 07771 941390 or email [email protected].

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.