More than 700 people drown in the UK and Ireland every year. That's one every 10 hours and many more suffer injury, sometimes life-changing, through having near-drowning experiences.

This week (14-24 June) is Drowning Prevention Week, created by the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), and this year it is run in partnership with the RNLI and Swim England.

The national campaign aims to ensure everyone knows how to have fun and stay safe near water, and a host of free resources have been produced to help supporters promote water safety.

Marcella Nash,  Director of Human Resources and Health and Safety, said:

“It’s so important to remind people to stay safe near water, especially as we get into the high-risk summer months. We are only too happy to be involved with Drowning Prevention Week.

We have open reservoirs at Blithfield and Chelmarsh so we want to make sure everyone knows the danger of swimming in reservoirs. It may look tempting but there are hidden dangers, so please stay out of the water.”

 RLSS UK’s Director of Education, Mike Dunn, said:

“Most people are surprised to learn that you are more likely to die from drowning than you are from being hit by a car or in a fire. We urge as many people as possible to take advantage of the activities this Drowning Prevention Week and learn what could be potentially lifesaving skills.”

Reservoir Safety

Find out more about safety at our reservoirs

Posted: Friday 20 June