Local Beavers and Cubs one of the first to complete RNLI Water Safety badge
As part of their RNLI Water Safety Awareness badge the Beavers and Cubs from Aberaeron and New Quay Sea Scouts recently visited their local lifeboat station at New Quay.
The group are among the first across Wales to complete this new badge which helps to promote the RNLI’s four key messages for young people’s activities around water – to stop and think, stay together, float and call 999 if necessary.
New Quay RNLI crew showed the Scouts around the lifeboat station and introduced the children to the RNLI explaining that the charity is run by volunteers and provides a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. They were given a tour around the inshore and all-weather lifeboats, the tractors used to launch them, and shown all the equipment the volunteers use.
Huw Williams, one of New Quay RNLI’s inshore lifeboat helms, said, “This awareness badge is a great way of engaging young people and teaching them about water safety. The aims of the badge is to help minimise the chances of young people getting into danger in the water, to teach them to know the risks that water presents and how to keep themselves and those around them safe in and around the water.
“The badge carries important safety messages that include informing an adult about where they are going and when they will be back, to carry a mobile phone to call for help, understanding the effects of cold water, and to call 999 and ask for the Coastguard in an emergency.”
Amber Bollwell, Aberaeron and New Quay Beaver Scout Leader added, “It was a great visit and the children really enjoyed and learnt a lot at the same time. The badge is a great tool to introduce children to sea safety especially as we live by the coast.”
For more information about Scouts Cymru go to https://scoutscymru.org.uk/.
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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 142,700 lives.
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