Swim Safe public sessions will take place at Criccieth Lifeboat Station on Friday 23, Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 August and are available to book online now.
Swim Safe is an initiative that was set up by Swim Wales and the RNLI, and there will be sessions held at Criccieth Lifeboat Station over three dates in August. Swim Safe is a great opportunity for children to learn how to stay safe in open water, which is a skill that they likely won’t practice in normal swimming lessons.
Swim Safe instructors will deliver vital water safety lessons on Criccieth’s beach, so that if children find themselves, or anyone else in danger, they know how to react. The children attending the sessions will be watched over by RNLI lifeguards, qualified instructors and volunteers.
All the kit needed to take part, including wetsuits, swim hats and flotation equipment, is provided for each child during the sessions. Children only need to bring their swimsuit and a towel. Each session gives children:
· Up to 30 minutes of practical, in-water tuition led by qualified instructors.
· Essential open water safety advice.
Hope Filby, Swim Wales’ Swim Safe Area Coordinator, says:
‘Children love swimming outdoors, but it’s very different to swimming in a pool, where most children learn to swim.
‘It’s essential children learn about open water safety – where it is safe to swim, how to stay safe and what to do if they get into difficulty in the water.
‘We want all children to have access to this training, so all Swim Safe sessions are funded by the RNLI and Swim Wales partnership and so are completely free of charge. To take part, children must be aged between 7 and 14 and able to swim 25 metres unaided.’
The Criccieth Swim Safe sessions are being delivered by RNLI Community Support Officers and Swim Wales instructors.
The Swim Safe programme aims to support the UK Drowning Prevention Strategy’s aim of reducing accidental drowning by 50 per cent by 2026, to which Swim Wales and the RNLI are committed as members of the National Water Safety Forum.
Members of the public can book on to any of the free Swim Safe sessions for free by visiting: swimsafe.org.uk/locations.
RNLI Media Contact:
For more information contact Katie Lewis, Media Engagement Placement, at
[email protected]. Alternatively contact Mike Carhart-Harris, Public Relations Manager (Campaigns), RNLI, on 01202 663168 /
[email protected]
Notes to Editors:
There are still available spaces at the Swim Safe sessions being held at these locations on the following dates:
Cardiff: 11/18/25 August.
Criccieth: 23-25 August.
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 20,000 children took part in a Swim Safe session across 29 locations in 2018.
This summer, Swim Safe is coming to 38 beach and inland water locations across England, Scotland, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. It is being delivered in partnership with Swim Wales and a range of local delivery partners.
Find out more at swimsafe.org.uk
About Swim Wales:
Swim Wales is the National Governing Body for Aquatics in Wales. We aim to support a Nation to become aquatically active. For more information please visit swimwales.org
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.
