Help children Swim Safe with free water safety sessions on Fenella Beach in Peel

The fun, hour-long sessions teach young people how to swim safely outdoors and what to do if they, or someone else, get into difficulty in the water.

Swim England and the RNLI have partnered with Peel RNLI to run free Swim Safe sessions from Monday 29 July to Friday 2 August.

Parents and carers can book their child’s free place now at https://swimsafe.org.uk/locations/isleofman

To take part, children must be aged between 7 and 14 and able to swim 25 metres unaided.

The sessions are run by qualified swimming instructors and lifeguards, supported by a team of volunteers and give children:

· Up to 30 minutes of practical, in-water tuition led by qualified instructors

· Essential open water safety advice

· A free Swim Safe goody bag take home

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 swim suit and a towel.

Dawn Marshal, Delivery Partner spokesperson and site 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 England partnership and so are completely free of charge.’

The programme aims to support the UK Drowning Prevention Strategy’s aim of reducing accidental drowning by 50 per cent by 2026, to which Swim England and the RNLI are committed as members of the National Water Safety Forum.

For more information about Swim Safe, visit swimsafe.org.uk

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Media contacts

For more information, please contact Mike Carhart-Harris, Public Relations Manager (Campaigns), RNLI, on 01202 663168 / [email protected] or Nuala McAloon, Regional Media Officer on 00353 876483547 or [email protected] or Niamh Stephenson, Regional Media Manager on 00353 871254124 or [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.

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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.