School children make a splash as Swim Safe gets underway at Salford Quays
Free outdoor swimming and water safety sessions for 7-14-year-olds began at Salford Quays yesterday. Sessions are all fully booked and will run until the end of August.
Swim Safe, the national programme created by Swim England and the RNLI, teaches children how to swim safely outdoors and what to do if they get into trouble.
The 60-minute sessions are run by qualified swimming instructors and lifeguards and supported by a team of volunteers.
Swim Safe is being run by Salford Community Leisure and sessions are being held at Helly Hansen Watersports Centre at Salford Quays.
Marie Leather, Sport and Leisure Manager at Salford Community Leisure and Swim Safe Coordinator, said:
‘We introduced these sessions at the Helly Hansen Watersports Centre last year and they were hugely popular, so we’re delighted to be working with the RNLI and Swim England once again. We have more than 45 sessions throughout the summer and are looking forward to helping hundreds of children learn this vital life skill in a positive, fun way.’
The RNLI charity is delighted that all spaces were quickly snapped up which shows the project is relevant even for children who don’t live near a beach. Vital safety messages learnt during the session will help to ensure they stay safe not only in open water but should they be visiting the coast this summer.
To check for cancellation places please visit swimsafe.org.uk.
Swim England and the RNLI launched Swim Safe in 2013 at a single venue in Cornwall. Now in its sixth year, Swim Safe has grown to include 29 locations across the UK hosting sessions for the public and local schools.
The sessions are delivered by local partners, including community groups, leisure providers, local councils and RNLI lifeguard teams. In Salford Quays, the delivery partners are Salford Community Leisure.
ENDS
Media contacts
For more information, please contact:
RNLI (regional): Danielle Rush, RNLI Regional Media Manager 07786 668829.
RNLI (national): Mike Carhart-Harris, Public Relations Manager (Campaigns), on 01202 663168 / [email protected]
Swim England: Alison Clowes, Head of Media and Public Affairs, on 07919 548039 / [email protected]
Notes to Editors
About Swim Safe
Swim Safe was created by Swim England and the RNLI in 2013 to help children aged 7–14 stay safe while enjoying swimming outdoors.
From with a single scheme in Cornwall, Swim Safe has grown into a national programme spanning the UK. More than 13,000 children took part in a Swim Safe session at 20 locations in 2017.
This summer, Swim Safe is coming to 29 venues across England, Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. It is being delivered in partnership with Scottish Swimming and Swim Wales, alongside a range of local delivery partners.
Swim Safe’s goal is for all children in the UK and Ireland to grow up with the skills to stay safe in and around the open water. Find out more at swimsafe.org.uk
About Swim England
Formally known as the Amateur Swimming Association, Swim England is the national governing body for swimming in England. It helps people learn how to swim, enjoy the water safely, and compete in all aquatic sports.
Swim England’s vision is of a nation swimming and it strives to inspire everyone to enjoy the water in the way that suits them. Each month millions of people are able to enjoy swimming, diving, water polo and synchronised swimming, having been through the Swim England Learn to Swim Programme.
Swim England also supports its members, clubs and athletes, and runs qualification and education programmes to develop the workforce. For more information, visit swimming.org/swimengland
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.