Together, we can educate everyone to enjoy water safely
Fellow Lifesavers,
I hope that 2024 has found you all well and busy spreading our lifesaving messages far and wide.
The end of 2023 saw me get the opportunity to visit Blyth and their fantastic lifesaving club. Thank you to Michelle for the tour of the club facilities and and for inviting me to present awards at the presentation evening. Blyth is an amazing club with fantastic members, and it was an honour to spend time with them all.
So far this year, I have been invited to the presentation evenings of two more clubs, in Horsham and Little Waves in Sussex. Both clubs are heavily involved in community outreach events, and the members are wonderful, offering their time and expertise freely to ensure their communities are educated about our messaging. A big thank you for your ongoing dedication.
I’m pleased to announce the new Lifesaving Sport Award is now officially up and running. Hopefully, this will encourage more clubs to become involved in Lifesaving Sport and the many opportunities that the sport offers. Who knows, maybe the next World or Commonwealth Champion is a member of your club?
As we finally head into the warmer months, our lifesaving messages become even more important. Thank you once more for everything that you do.
Your
President, Deborah Hunt President RLSS, in the UK and IrelandNews in Brief
A round-up of news from across the UK and Ireland
An overview of RLSS UK’s key impact measures achieved in 2023
Drowning Prevention Week
Get planning now to help us make 2024 the best DPW yet!
Westminster Update
Our latest work in Government
DEI panel and LGBTQ+ update
Introducing our new DEI Executive and an update from the LGBTQ+ working group 14
RLSS Commonwealth
The latest update from the RLSS Commonwealth team 15
Why I Volunteer
Natasha talks about her volunteer role with RLSS UK
William Henry Award
Meet some of our fantastic volunteers who have earned their William Henry Awards
Meet your Deputy President and Trustees and learn more about this year’s elections
Water Smart Schools
Off to a flying start; see how you can help us get more schools to be Water Smart
GoodSAM
Working together to make the world’s largest register of water rescue equipment! 24
Female-only Lifeguard Sessions
See the impact of our female-only training sessions
Drink and Drown Reflecting on 2023 and looking ahead to September 2024
UK Qualifications and Awards
update on NEW and existing RLSS UK qualifications and awards
your next RLSS UK training course
Assisted Lifeguard Technology to enhance safety launches at Tewkesbury Leisure Centre
Safety Partners Meet Glasdon UK Limited – our new Water Safety Partner
NWSMP – DEFRA Why is water safety training so important for a business?
Discover how RLSS UK Consultants have supported North Devon Council
and support for RLSS UK
Survey Find out what lifeguards really think about their role
Speed Lifesaving
Hear how the athletes got on with our round-up of #Speeds2024
Learn more about our brand-new suite of Lifesaving Sport awards
Lifesaving Championships 2025
RLSS UK is delighted to be hosting this biennial event from Swansea, Wales!
National Lifesaving Academy Stars
Hear from some of our NLA students as they take on new challenges
Our Lifesaving Clubs
Stories from our brilliant clubs across the country
Focus Stay tuned as we make waves in the world of football
Pages Kids - get creative whilst learning about water safety
Partnerships See how you can get involved
Discover the multitude of ways to donate and the difference that your fundraising can make
Make a Splash
Sign up for our amazing sponsored distance challenge!
Give What You Can Membership
Learn more about our latest community membership offering Join our online lifesaving community, share your stories, read news and keep up-to-date. Search for RLSS UK
LIFESAVERS is the magazine of the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK). Please send your news, stories and photographs to marketing@rlss.org.uk
RLSS UK is a company Limited by Guarantee. Registered Charity No’s 1046060 and SCO037912. rlss.org.uk | 0300 323 0096 Designed and produced by the Royal Life Saving Society UK. © RLSS UK 2024 All rights reserved.
I would like to begin with some staff updates, announcing the retirement of our Finance Director, Kevin Waterman. Since joining RLSS UK in 2019, Kevin has been dedicated and instrumental in transforming our financial landscape. His leadership has resulted in a strong fiscal policy that positions us well for the future. We wish Kevin a fulfilling retirement.
In another transition, we bid farewell to our Charity Director, Lee Heard. Lee has been a key figure in shaping our lifesaving activities, contributing to national campaigns, and advocating for changes in the educational curriculum regarding water safety. After over a decade of service, Lee has decided to embark on a new chapter as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Riding for the Disabled Association. While we are sad to see Lee go, we celebrate the vast impact he has had on RLSS UK. I am confident that his team will carry on his legacy, continuing to make a meaningful difference through their work.
Looking ahead, I want to thank Nick Grazier for building our partnership with GoodSAM. The app has become a crucial tool for connecting lifesavers and lifeguards with individuals experiencing medical emergencies. Our collaboration has now expanded to include locations of water rescue equipment. The app boasts over 1 million users, and this app enhancement facilitates quick access for first responders. Please download the app and help create the largest register of lifesaving equipment.
I am also delighted by the launch of our new NLA Sport Award. As a passionate advocate for various sports, I believe that Lifesaving Sport adds a unique dimension to our activities. It contributes to improved fitness, both mentally and physically, and also aligns with a humanitarian purpose. I encourage everyone to consider participating in this rewarding sport.
I want to commend the charity team for 2023’s outstanding results. Through our free resources, we educated an incredible 2,265,000 children, marking a remarkable +40% increase from 2022. This underscores the impact of our Drowning Prevention Week campaign, with increased engagement across leisure and school settings providing a strong foundation for these children to further connect with RLSS UK. I encourage everyone to participate in Drowning Prevention Week 2024 from 15-22 June.
With our commitment to excellence also comes the establishment of a dedicated Clinical Governance Group. Comprising of experts from various medical disciplines, including Dr Anthony Handley, Chairman of the Resuscitation Council UK, the group will play a crucial role in supporting the development of our awards and qualifications. This initiative reflects our dedication to remaining at the forefront of first aid training.
Lastly, I was delighted to see so many members at the National Speed Lifesaving Championships at Sandwell Aquatics Centre. It marked the beginning of our journey towards the RLSS Commonwealth Lifesaving Championships in 2025, hosted at Wales National Pool in Swansea. I am proud that we could bring this event to Wales, supporting one of our home nations with an event of such magnitude.
Robert Gofton CEO, RLSS UK
Following a successful bid to the Woodland Trust, Aqua Stars Lifesaving Club, in Holsworthy, is the first Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) group in the country to create their own biodiversity area.
Bude Dive Club Members, who use Ruby Oak Park for their winter training, alongside Rookie Lifeguards, and Lifesaving Academy Members, got digging and planted over 400 trees to create new wildlife corridors!
By linking existing woodlands and habitats, the lifesavers created new areas for the mammals and insects that roam the park’s natural areas. The young leaders within the group ran a series of workshops, investigating the possible planting locations and mix of saplings needed to create the best habitats.
Assisted by the Deputy Mayor of Holsworthy, Debbie De Ste Croix, and the President of the RLSS UK, Debbie Hunt, a successful planting afternoon in Devon was enjoyed, bringing the planned areas to life.
Andy Squirrell, Club Coach, said: “It was great to help the team explore the planting options and ensure a great biodiversity mix that will benefit the environment for years to come!”
Tom Bartley first began his career as a lifeguard with RLSS UK at the age of 16 – and has been making waves ever since!
Tom has since climbed through the ranks and moved from strength to strength, with roles including Swim Lesson Co-ordinator, Duty Manager and Operations and Training Manager. Tom has embarked on his most recent challenge as a Health, Safety & Training Manager across six sport and leisure sites, which sees him look after the training for over 200 NPLQ/ NRASTC holders.
We were delighted to be named as one of three finalists at this year’s UK Digital Excellence Awards for Best Charity or Not for Profit Campaign for our Water Safety Code animation! It’s a fantastic film, so please continue to share it far and wide.
There’s no challenge too difficult for Tom and we can’t wait to see him fly in his new chapter – to think it all began when he took that first lifeguard course! #IStartedAsALifeguard
Swim Ireland had the pleasure of bringing swimming teachers and facility operators together from all over Ireland for the 2024 Swimdustry Conference, in February, which was held in the Pillo Hotel in Ashbourne, Co. Meath.
The conference was a great success all around, with delegates able to attend several different workshops led by Swim Ireland tutors, including RLSS UK representatives and industry experts.
Following the event, there have already been 14 courses booked to deliver the Rookie Lifeguard Instructor and National Lifesaving Academy qualifications to over 150 new candidates across Ireland, demonstrating the significance of RLSS UK’s attendance at the conference.
conference. It was great to see Swim Teachers and Swim Managers identifying the benefits of lifesaving as a retention tool for their swimming lessons, once the children have completed structured aquatics academy lessons.
“This will have a great impact in providing lifesaving classes to communities all around Ireland and Northern Ireland, helping to develop new Rookie Lifeguards and lifesavers. We’re committed to helping grow lifesaving activity in Ireland, building on the excellent impact of our clubs and branches across the region.
There has also been an increase in interest from more swimming teachers eager to upskill and become Rookie Lifeguard Instructors, as well as one centre becoming a Lifesaving Club and running Lifesaving Sport awards.
Alan McCormack, RLSS UK Development Executive for Ireland, said: “I was delighted with the response that we received being part of the Swim Ireland Swimdustry
“Thank you again to all our presenters, exhibitors and delegates for helping make it such a fantastic and informative day – and great to see the impact it’s had already!”
RLSS UK has announced an exciting partnership with Safe Water Sports (SWS), a non-profit organisation that was established in Greece in 2015, aiming primarily to support safety in water, water-related sports and recreational activities.
SWS was launched as a result of a tragic incident in the summer of 2014 on Mykonos Island, Greece, when 10-year-old Michael Paschalakis lost his life while doing water sports with his friends. Michael’s father, Mr Panagiotis Paschalakis, is the founder and President of Safe Water Sports. The main objective of the organisation is to increase the safety of activities in and around the water and reduce the risks of drowning.
Mr Paschalakis said: “Safe Water Sports is thrilled to announce an exciting collaboration with the Royal Life Saving Society UK, forging a powerful alliance to develop a strategy plan and mutual vision for water safety, specifically for people in the UK visiting Greece.
“Together, we plan to redefine standards and practices in preventing drownings and promoting an environment where water enthusiasts of any age can embrace the joy of aquatic activities without fear.”
The partnership will see a number of projects in 2024, including promoting the Safe Water Sport app to UK and Irish citizens travelling to Greece and Cyprus, sharing education resources and programmes, developing SWS Safe Swim Programme and amplifying awareness campaigns –and that’s just to start!
99 lifesaving qualifications and awards on offer, ensuring everyone has the chance to continually enhance their water safety knowledge and skills.
354 delegates attended the RLSS UK Conference, sharing expertise and best practices in lifesaving and lifeguarding.
48,005 Rookie Lifeguard awards presented, celebrating important milestones in children’s lifesaving ability.
50,506 online training sessions completed by lifesavers and lifeguards keeping up to date with their training and continued professional development.
14,205 RLSS UK members registered, representing our growing lifesaving community, supporting our lifesaving work.
377 members were recognised via our Honours programme, celebrating their outstanding contributions to the society’s work.
13,275 hours spent volunteering by our passionate community of lifesavers and educators to amplify our work in communities.
129,000+ visits to the water safety pages on our website, providing important advice and guidance.
In 2023, we awarded
221,428 lifesaving qualifications and awards, which included our industry-leading National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ).
2.26m+
The impact of our work is visible across all four UK nations and in Ireland.
Our work supports the availability of safe places to play and swim, ensuring competent lifeguard provision at venues, both indoors and outdoors, at locations across the UK and Ireland.
In addition, our work sees vital water safety education delivered across the UK and Ireland.
children were educated in water safety using our free materials and resources, thanks to support from educators and our community networks.
6,250
In our RLSS UK affiliated clubs, more than children enhanced their lifesaving skills building confidence and making friends.
SCAN HERE to view the full report
Drowning Prevention Week (DPW) is our biggest campaign of the year - targeting families, carers, teachers and instructors of children aged five to 15 years old, with the aim of educating them about water safety.
The campaign is just around the corner and will run from 15 – 22 June, so please mark the week in your calendars and keep reading for ideas of how to get involved!
In 2023, we proudly launched our Water Safety Code animation and achieved an amazing 947.5k+ views across all social channels. We have equally exciting plans for 2024 –which we hope many of you will get stuck in and be a part of!
No child should drown, and with the right water safety education – such as knowledge of the Water Safety Code –accidental drownings are preventable. Drowning Prevention Week is deliberately timed ahead of the school summer holidays when children spend more time outdoors and when vital water safety skills can help keep children safe.
Please help us to spread the word this year and encourage everyone to have the water safety conversation with children.
Take time to assess your surroundings.
Look for the dangers and always research local signs and advice.
When around water always go with friends or family.
Swim at a lifeguarded venue.
Ask for the Fire and Rescue Service when inland and the Coastguard if at the coast. Don’t enter the water to rescue.
If you fall in or become tired - stay calm, float on your back and call for help.
Throw something that floats to somebody that has fallen in.
We know our members and supporters are brilliant in helping to share our messaging during Drowning Prevention Week and all year round. This year, we would love for you to continue to help us share that messaging as far and wide as possible.
1.Share and engage – Share and engage with our posts on social media. This helps us reach as many people as possible while ensuring that people connect DPW with our charity.
2.Make use of your connections – Do you have clout in your community? Please make use of any connections you may have – we are especially trying to improve water safety awareness in hard-to-reach and ethnically diverse communities.
3.Run a DPW activity – If you’d like to run a DPW awareness session, we can offer plenty of support. We also have a fantastic range of resources available to download for free which could help.
4.
Education in schools – We shall once again be building on our thematic lessons and resources for school children, so if you are able to share or deliver education in schools, together we could make a huge difference to the lives of young people.
5.Water safety sessions – For swimming classes and clubs in the leisure sector, DPW also provides a great opportunity to educate swimmers on water safety so it would be fantastic if you could implement a water safety session in your normal lessons during the week!
6.Keep us in the loop – If you are doing ANY of the above, let us know! We always love to hear about your activity during DPW, but this year more than ever, we are looking to place emphasis on community spirit and share your amazing efforts.
This year, we have placed significant efforts into updating lots of our fantastic, free Drowning Prevention Week resources with the characters you now know and love from our animations. Look out for spruced-up Murray Mats, colouring sheets, stickers and downloadable DPW banner templates! For a sneak peek – head to page 52!
DON’T MISS our colouring competition on social media in June!
For many years, we have had a huge number of individuals and organisations sharing the Drowning Prevention Week campaign; however, sometimes the link back to the Royal Life Saving Society UK isn’t as strong as we’d like.
We want to ensure that when people see and hear of Drowning Prevention Week, they think of RLSS UK. This will help us to spread our messages even further, raise more money for the charity – and in turn, provide more water safety advice to larger audiences, get more people involved with lifesaving, and above all, ensure more people can enjoy water safely.
Therefore, when sharing our messages or encouraging others to share, please ensure that the Royal Life Saving Society UK is mentioned alongside DPW.
Each year as part of our national campaign, Drowning Prevention Week, we look to increase support from politicians in their local constituencies and to keep water safety firmly on the political agenda. This helps support our wider agenda to lobby at Government level to get class-based water safety education embedded into the national curriculum.
2024 will see us deliver a PR initiative in Parliament, which focuses on the importance of children receiving free access to vital practical water safety skills and knowledge. MPs, Civil Servants, and the public will also be attending Westminster, as well as the media.
Our overall aim is to gain the full support of MPs both at Government level and in their constituencies, to further grow momentum behind our campaign.
Introducing Paolo Romanengo, Principal Assistant to Lord Storey and RLSS UK’s Intern in Westminster“Born and raised in Milan, my family is from the coastal town of Genoa. As a child, the Mediterranean Sea painted the landscape framed in my grandpa’s house windows. If you watched Luca, the Disney movie, then you’ll know exactly what I mean – that was me, as a child!
Growing up in Milan, further from the sea, I first found my connection with water through rowing. I have been an athlete for almost eight years now and after quitting to study, I became coach of the junior rowing team in my club.
While Italian in upbringing, I am British educated. My passion for studying brought me to the Midlands in the UK for Sixth Form and my Undergraduate Degree at university, where I studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics. Now, after a year in industry, working in Strategy Consulting, I am studying Political Economy at the London School of Economics (LSE) and have joined RLSS UK on an internship to help support the political agenda from the House of Lords.
In Westminster, I represent the RLSS UK’s policy aim to introduce legislation granting that all children receive a minimum of 30 minutes water safety training by the end of each key stage, and that a focal point for water safety is appointed in Government. Lobbying is my mission, which involves meeting with Members of Parliament to boost awareness on the importance of water safety education and ensure that RLSS UK’s pledge is included in parties’ electoral manifestos for the upcoming elections.
The opportunity to contribute to real change that has the potential to save lives motivates me to navigate the complex world of politics to the best of my ability!
Do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions, recommendations or simply would like to have a chat to find out more. Contact me on the following email, with a guaranteed reply!” paoloromanengo@rlss.org.uk
“Hi, I’m Andrea and I am the newly appointed Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Executive for RLSS UK! When I saw the job role advertised, I was passionate about helping this organisation to build on its current efforts to create an inclusive and welcoming environment.
I successfully got the job, which I believe was down to my years of experience dealing with people of all ages and backgrounds in my varied HR and Welfare roles, as well as the EDI training undertaken in the RAF which gave me a unique insight into the role and all it involves.
During my time in my new role at the charity, working through the results of the Cultural Survey has allowed me to thoroughly delve into policies and see where I can help RLSS UK to continue to follow its Action Plan, using my experience in my previous roles and providing a different perspective.
Being able to network with other charities, local authorities and businesses has also been hugely beneficial as it allows for the sharing of ideas and practices from different perspectives to be able to learn from one another and educate each other positively.
There has been ongoing work with commercial partners on key accessibility tools and adjustments to the training and awards schemes to ensure they are more accessible for those with disabilities, while also working to integrate those from different socio-economic groups into the community.
So what’s going to happen in 2024? This year will see EDI training implemented for all staff and members across the organisation, an EDI webpage, a Report and Support tool for all members and a Disability Network. Above all, we will continue to work hard to create a more diverse and inclusive organisation where people remain feeling valued and supported.
If you have any questions or would like to get in touch, please contact our team at edi@rlss.org.uk – we’d love to hear from you, whatever your background. Watch this space!”
LGBTQ+ Working Group Chair, Joshua Hale updates us on the group’s activities, one year on from its inception.
• The 2022 Cultural Audit highlighted areas where LGBTQ+ members’ experience in the RLSS UK could be improved.
• In December 2022, a call for LGBTQ+ members to join a working group was circulated.
• March 2023 saw six members from across the UK, Ireland and the LGBTQ+ spectrum come together.
We have come up with an Action Plan which we want to share with you for feedback, support, and celebration.
The LGBTQ+ working group has been working hard for almost a year and we thought now would be a great time to update you on what we have been up to behind the scenes!
OUR MAIN AIMS ARE TO:
• Continue the conversation around trans competitors to influence a sport policy that is inclusive and fair for all, encouraging increased participation in Lifesaving Sport.
• Identify trans inclusive swimwear that can make enjoying water safely possible for the trans community.
• Identify multiple Pride events across the UK and Ireland that RLSS UK can attend to help provide new and exciting ways for members to volunteer and raise the profile of the charity.
• Reach new audiences and create a how-to guide to make it easier for branches to replicate.
• Provide an opportunity for Q&A on LGBTQ+ topics for members.
• Launch a network for all RLSS UK LGBTQ+ members to attend.
Join our first online networking session on Tuesday 25 June at 7pm and help provide your thoughts and feedback on the trans sport policy. Email Joshua and the team on edi@rlss.org.uk for more details.
After months of extensive consultation with our member organisations, including face to face meetings after the Commonwealth Lifesaving Championships in Canada, the RLSS Board of Trustees adopted a new Strategic Action Plan at its meeting in December. The Plan covers 2024 to 2026 inclusive and builds on the foundations of the previous plan.
Supporting World Health Assembly Resolution –“Accelerating action of global drowning prevention.” We will facilitate standardised data collection and analysis; provide advocacy support for our members and actively engage with the World Health Organisation, Governments and Partners.
Member Capacity Building and Sustainability. We will support member sustainability plans and activity, and share tools to support member sustainability and implement leadership development and mentoring.
The World Conference on Drowning Prevention took place at the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Perth, Australia in December 2023 and was attended by over 750 people from 50 countries who operate within the drowning prevention field.
Earlier in the year, the RLSS launched a scholarship programme that would support a youngster from one of our lower or middle-income member organisations to attend and present at WCDP.
Geh Cheow Mei from Malaysia was awarded a scholarship after her abstract, ‘A study to assess the public knowledge on climate change which linked to drowning in Malaysia’, was accepted by the conference organisers.
Resource Sharing. We will implement a digital resource sharing platform with appropriate support processes, and we will develop human resource sharing.
Sport Development. We will launch Lifesaving iSport and Lifesaving Sport for All to expand participation. We will continue to organise biennial Commonwealth Championships.
Youth Development. We will develop a clear youth engagement strategy; use relevant platforms to build youth networks and provide employment and exchange programmes for young people.
The full plan can be found on our website at: Strategic Action Plan (rlsscommonwealth.org)
Reflecting on her experience, Cheow Mei said: “Being able to attend the World Conference in Drowning Prevention 2023 in Perth, Australia under the RLSS scholarship was an eye-opening experience. Throughout the conference, I was surrounded by the global community that are dedicated to water safety and drowning prevention.
“This experience has broadened my understanding and deepened my commitment to drowning prevention research. I am grateful for the opportunity where I have gained lots of knowledge and connections.”
We are delighted to have been able to support Cheow Mei and look forward to seeing her work, and working with her, in the future.
Hear from Tasha, one of our volunteers who has two decades of experience in aquatics – from teaching to lifeguarding and ‘mermaiding’ – about why she dedicates her time to volunteering.
NATASHA (TASHA) MCLOUGHLIN
“My name’s Tasha and the first thing to know about me is that I’ve always loved the water! For as long as I can remember, I’ve jumped at any opportunity to get to swim in water – whether it be pools, rivers, lakes or even the odd water trough when visiting family in Italy.
I joined a swimming club when I was 11 years old and swam with them for seven years until I was 18. When I was 17, I completed my NPLQ – hard to think that that was almost 23 years ago now!
Over the next 20 years, I grew my passion for swimming and worked in various roles across a number of pools, both public and private. My roles included working across schools as a swimming teacher, NPLQ Trainer Assessor, a Mermaid Instructor and even becoming a professional mermaid! It was there I felt I found my (mer)people and I began volunteering my time with Merfolk UK and working for Hire a Mermaid UK.
I had been volunteering in various capacities but not really in leisure until late 2019 when I became a committee member at my local 100+ year old Lido. Just as I was getting started, lockdown unfortunately hit in 2020. However, I was still able to help them get their winterised pool ready for summer and complete additional training for their small team of lifeguards.
I then helped and advised them on staying open in the winter and offering cold water swimming. I myself had taken up more open water and wild swimming during the lockdowns and could see the popularity increasing, so offered my help.
It was a great personal achievement and I have subsequently found friends for life.
In late 2021, I gave up full time work to look after my three boys. The following spring, I did my Open Water Lifeguard (OWL) course, and a new passion was born! I began swimming in open water events and was invited to volunteer at the Great North Swim by the Trainer Assessors from my OWL course. It was at this event that I felt like I had again found my people. It was a great personal achievement and I have subsequently found friends for life.
This then also created a pathway to more events, many of which were festivals. I had never been to a festival before working with the RLSS UK and it’s fair to say, I am now well and truly hooked! Volunteering means I can work as much or as little as I like – I love the flexibility and the enormous sense of achievement and adventure I get at each event, despite some events being challenging at times.
I still work as a casual lifeguard and freelance as a lifeguard TA and Mermaid – but I always plan my time trying to attend as many volunteer events as possible.”
Keen to sign up for a festival plus other events this summer? Learn more here www.rlss.org.uk/volunteer
Willian Henry Award
Last year we relaunched our esteemed William Henry Award, which is designed to reward the dedication of our exceptional volunteers. The enthusiastic reception has exceeded even our own expectations, with over an impressive 13,200 hours contributed during 2023!
We extend our deepest gratitude to all who have given up their time and shared their volunteering hours with us – your commitment is recognised and very much appreciated.
Read on as we celebrate just a handful of remarkable tales from our volunteers over the past six months below...
TRACY HYLAND – Raised awareness of RLSS UK at the annual Dusk till Dawn swimming event at Manvers Lake, which was introduced to the club for the first time. Tasked with completing a full 12 hours of swimming through the night, solo club members, as well as teams, completed 24 laps of the 400m course (9,600m in total) – while aided with hot drinks, snacks, hot water bottles and karaoke on tap from the crew to keep motivation and spirits high!
TONY PEARSON AND MARK HOPPER –
Undertook a sponsored bike ride at Sandgate Beach, whilst Donna Thomas, Michelle Childs and Lorraine Mackie performed CPR demonstrations to the public. The team managed to raise over £1,800 for Kent Branch with the aim to purchase more manikins.
William Henry award
GILLIAN WILKINSON – Ran a five day summer camp with her sister Pamela Sharp and provided water safety training at both the beach and pool, as well as performing CPR demonstrations.
PAUL SMITH – Lifeguarded at Woburn Lido which allowed the pool to open to the public for cold water swimming.
NICK HANDLEY –
Volunteered at The Baby and Toddler Show at Sandown Park and gave demonstrations on the stand about how to perform CPR on a baby and how to deal with choking. He also presented ‘Expert Advice Talks’ that took place on a stage with around 200 people in the audience. The team collected just over £100 for Surrey branch over the event.
Volunteering
If you have not yet begun logging your volunteering hours for the William Henry Award and would like to, getting involved is super straightforward. All you need is an RLSS UK Account (powered by tahdah). You can create an account online and it is completely free –no membership required!
To start submitting your volunteer hours, simply log in to your account and navigate to the ‘My Details’ tab, where you will find a link to the ‘William Henry Award’ section. Here you will find the form to fill out, detailing your time spent volunteering.
We encourage you to provide as much detail as possible and include photos, allowing us to showcase your efforts and inspire others to join our volunteering community.
Awards are given for the following milestones:
Hours Award
25 Certificate
50 Certificate + Blue Milestone Pin Badge
100 Certificate + Red Milestone Pin Badge
250 Certificate + Yellow Milestone Pin Badge
500 Certificate + Bronze Milestone Pin Badge
750 Certificate + Silver Milestone Pin Badge
1000 Certificate + Gold Milestone Pin Badge
Over 130 of our amazing volunteers have already achieved milestones and received their awards, so a big congratulations to you all!
If you’d like to find out more about the William Henry Award or volunteering for RLSS UK, please visit our website. www.rlss.org.uk
Ahuge thank you to all our members who voted in the 2023 elections. You helped approve six special resolutions affecting the Articles of Association governing RLSS UK and elected three members onto the Board of Trustees.
The number of members choosing to use their vote has decreased. If you considered voting but thought your vote wouldn’t make a difference or simply ignored the emails (as it didn’t feel relevant to you), please speak to us. The Board of Trustees is an incredible group volunteering their time and expertise to lead our charity’s strategic decisions and are extremely approachable, welcoming new ideas.
Talking to you, our members, about your reasons for not voting could be exceptionally helpful to future elections.
Email us at elections@rlss.org.uk for more information on the elections or request a chat with a Trustee.
At our Annual General Meeting last October, we announced the results of the elections from your votes. Bryan Finlay was elected as Deputy President and newly elected to the Board as Trustees were Rachel Healey, Benjamin Johns and Joanne Young. Congratulations to those elected – they are already making a huge impact on the Board, thanks to your votes.
Since the age of 14, Joanne has been a member of lifesaving clubs/services. She is also the chairperson of independent lifeboat station GAFIRS. For the last 40 years, she has been an RLSS UK trainer and for over 20 years Joanne has been an active member of the Wessex branch, before going on to become Branch President. Having attended Lifesaving Sport competitions worldwide, Joanne has seen how lifesaving is a universal language. She has also been a member of the Safeguarding, Equality and Diversity Group for the last ten years.
Rachel has been involved with RLSS UK since she was seven years old and has completed a wide range of awards, including Pool and Beach Lifeguard Qualifications, Open Water Lifeguard Qualification, lifesaving and lifeguarding Trainer Assessor and NRASTC. At 16 years old, she started teaching lifesaving and has recently found a love for competing in Lifesaving Sport, even travelling to take part in the 2022 Orange Cup in The Netherlands.
Rachel has also been the Lifesaving Safeguarding Officer at her club for years, alongside coaching.
Ben has been an active member of RLSS UK since completing his Bronze Medallion aged 14. After completing his Lifesaving Distinction and National Pool Lifeguarding Qualification, he worked as a lifeguard for almost a decade. For many years, he volunteered as an instructor and club Chairman at Pontardawe Life Saving Club and has also served on the RLSS Commonwealth Diploma committee.
Ben is a HCPC-registered Clinical Scientist, specialising in clinical and public health microbiology at Public Health Wales. Ben also volunteers as a Special Constable for South Wales Police.
In addition to those elected to the Board, we recently appointed Sharon Johal as our Legal Advisor.
Sharon boasts an impressive legal career spanning over 25 years, with a primary focus in the finance sector, particularly within listed financial services and asset management firms. She has extensive experience as a General Counsel, currently serving as a General Counsel within a financial institution. Her professional accomplishments are complemented by a strong dedication to philanthropy, particularly in initiatives focused on promoting education and empowerment, especially for young girls in underserved communities.
Find out more about your Trustees, full details are at: www.rlss.org.uk/our-trustees
“Let’s use our history to shape our inclusive future”
Our 125+ year history makes us strong and proud – let’s use this to our advantage and build upon these foundations to develop our charity and increase our visibility and recognition in UK and Ireland.
My vision is to:
• Create a fully inclusive and accessible society which engages current members/volunteers whilst encouraging new members, to help us prevent drownings and learn vital skills that can help save lives.
• Encourage participation from all areas of the society to extend our reach where we don’t have a footprint.
• Ensure that Lifesaving Sport continues to grow and is supported across the whole society.
• Develop our campaigns so we deliver them more widely.
• Use our membership’s expertise, so we can support the staff team to further enhance our national profile.
• Have the right qualified expert staff who use our volunteers to help lead and drive our dynamic organisation with passion, enthusiasm and strength.
• Ensure our Pool Lifeguard Qualifications remain the industry ‘gold standard’ and recognised worldwide.
• Explore new ideas and concepts so we lead the way in Lifeguarding/lifesaving awards and qualifications.
• Make sure all participants and lifeguards are exposed more widely to RLSS UK and its work to encourage them to become advocates for the charity.
• Fully engage our members, whether volunteers, officials/ competitors and/or trainers in our aims and objectives and ensure they are at the heart of our decision-making process.
• Encourage the recruitment of new volunteers through local ownership of activities so they can help deliver our charitable aims.
• Be the ‘go to’ organisation, so everyone can safely enjoy being in, on and near water.
• Recognise and reward our volunteers/members and those who go above and beyond to deliver our key messages.
• Educate everyone to enjoy water safely.
Wouldn’t it be great if the Royal Life Saving Society UK could one day become a household name? I am confident that by moving into new sectors within our communities and creating partnerships, it would allow us to educate more people about RLSS UK and our objectives.
Members, we need you! None of this will be possible without your support, and this is also the case with the Board of Trustees. We need members to stand for election and join our Board so we can build a stronger RLSS UK. If being a Trustee is not for you then please do use your vote, as it makes an enormous difference.
With research underlining the real need for education around water safety aimed at young children, RLSS UK’s Water Smart Schools initiative was born. The first of its kind, the Award aims to help children in primary and secondary schools achieve water safety skills for life.
The programme seeks to help children enjoy water safely and to target groups that may not otherwise have access to free education resources – as well as enriching their opportunities to get involved in water-related activities! Offering engaging free resources aimed at schools, community groups, leisure centres and swimming clubs, we believe that every young person should have access to learn water safety skills that can be used throughout their life, no matter their background. With our programme, every school can be a Water Smart School.
Since launching the free accreditation education programme at the beginning of September 2023, Water Smart Schools has taken off to a flying start!
The resources were engaging and easy to use. The children have learnt so much and can now talk about water safety. – St Leonard’s Primary School, Bridgnorth, Shropshire
We’ve already seen some fantastic engagement with the programme, with a current total of over 200 schools signing up to become Water Smart in the UK and beyond.
After asking children who took part in the programme to complete a survey around water knowledge, we’ve seen a significant increase from 57% to 77% in how many were confident they would know what to do if they were in danger in open water after completing our programme. This is fantastic to see and shows the positive impact of the programme so far.
Participating in this water safety project to become a Water Smart School has been a really positive experience PE and PSHE are key to the personal development of the pupils here at Burlish Park, and so combining the two in this project has been so beneficial for the pupils. They have enjoyed participating in the lessons and thoroughly enjoyed their educational visits to different water environments to learn about the risks and dangers of water. The pupils’ knowledge has improved, and they are now more water smart!
– Burlish Park Primary Academy, Stourport, Worcestershire
I just wanted to say, the children were all highly motivated and engaged in their learning and it is something we will certainly be re-doing on an annual basis. There was a buzz across the whole school as the children talked about the lessons. It was great for the whole school to be learning the same thing at the same time! The children really engaged in the activities, and it was surprising how much they didn’t know about water safety but also great to see how willing they were to listen and think about how to stay safe around water. They were very motivated and keen to learn.
– Barford St. Peter’s CE Primary School, Warwickshire
If you would like to share this great programme with schools local to you, you can find out more by emailing education@rlss.org.uk
Our collaboration with GoodSAM means we will be able to help save even more lives within local communities. A new feature has recently launched to help support rescue efforts in water emergencies, by allowing people to register water safety rescue equipment.
The app has been developed to now include locations of water rescue equipment in and around towns and cities, which can prove vital in rescuing someone who is in difficulty.
An average of 308 UK and Irish citizens lose their lives to accidental drowning each year, with more people drowning inland than at the coast, so responders knowing exactly where water rescue equipment is vital.
Changes to the website and app, in collaboration with RLSS UK, means that members of the public are now able to get involved and plot where pieces of equipment can be found to allow quick and easy access by first responders, when in an emergency. The app also allows people to report any damaged or broken equipment.
We are calling for all members, volunteers, lifesavers and members of the public to the help us in our mission to help save lives! We want to make the world’s biggest register of water rescue equipment - so far, we have nearly 1,000 pieces of equipment that have been registered through the GoodSAM app, but we won’t stop here.
To get involved and help make your local community safer, all you need to do is visit the GoodSAM website or register on the GoodSAM app to log any pieces of water rescue equipment that you pass by. Whether it’s taking the kids out, walking the dog, or as part of your working day – your help is invaluable and could help make a real difference and save a life when people find themselves in need.
Many of our partners have already got involved, including the Angling Trust, whch recognises the importance of this initiative and is also helping to promote GoodSAM and water safety equipment to all of its members.
• Visit the GoodSAM website: www.goodsamapp.org
• Click the red ‘burger menu’ button (which turns green when you hover over it) and select SOLUTIONS from the dropdown list
• Select ‘equipment kit registry’ from the next dropdown list
• Select ‘water rescue equipment’ from the next options
• Complete the rest of the Emergency Kit Information Form - don’t forget to add a photo if you can
• You can select the precise location using the map and postcode finder
• Finally, click the red Submit button and once your submission has been verified, you’re good to go!
To find out more, please visit www.rlss.org.uk/goodsam – with your help, we’re one step closer to making all communities safer around water.
RLSS UK has recently been working in partnership with Active Surrey and Freedom Leisure in order to jointly fund a number of female only lifeguard training sessions. The overall aim of these sessions is to help bridge the gap and increase representation of females within the industry.
The training sessions that took place at Tandridge Leisure Centre, near Crawley, enabled the group of women to complete their National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ), with two participants already successfully securing employment as lifeguards and supporting local Rookie Lifeguard sessions.
Matt Croxall, Senior Head of Membership and Field Operations at RLSS UK, said: “Female only sessions such as these give women the opportunity to be trained and participate in lifesaving activities where they may not have felt comfortable doing so previously, particularly where certain cultural barriers exist.
...sessions such as these give women the opportunity to be trained and participate in lifesaving activities where they may not have felt comfortable doing so previously.
“Here at RLSS UK, we are continually striving to be as welcoming and inclusive as possible, so initiatives like this really do help us to reach new audiences. The aim is that these newly trained female lifeguards will eventually progress to become Trainer Assessors and go on to deliver their own female only NPLQ sessions, therefore providing more and more women with the chance to become lifeguards in the future.”
We are keen to support similar opportunities throughout the UK and Ireland, and so we’re calling for any Trainer Assessors who would be interested in delivering female only sessions or helping us to deliver lifeguard training for those harder to reach communities in any other way.
If you’d be interested in helping us reach wider audiences across the board, please do get in touch with the membership team and drop us an email at: membership@rlss.org.uk
Take a look at a couple of our Everyday Heroes who deserve a special mention for their incredible lifesaving efforts, which made all the difference…
In August 2023, after promising to take Evie (aged 11) and Oliver (aged 8) camping all summer, their parents took them along to Dyffryn in Barmouth for a few days.
Despite the slight overcast and chilly weather, the family headed to the beach where Evie and her younger brother put on their wetsuits to play in the sea. Although the young pair had been swimming in the sea many times over the years, the current took them out further, until they found they could no longer stand.
Oliver began to panic as the waves crashed over his head. However, Evie reassured him and went underwater to push him up so he could catch his breath. Evie repeated this three times before signalling to their parents for help. She continued to stay calm and near to Oliver until their dad, Ryan, was able to swim out into the sea and take Oliver back to shore. Only then, when she was sure Oliver was safe, did Evie swim back to safety herself.
With her quick thinking, calm manner, reassurance and bravery in what was a scary and dangerous situation, Evie saved her brother’s life.
Evie’s mother, Bethan, said: “Ryan, Oliver and I are extremely proud of Evie. Her selfless and heroic actions saved a life. She is a lifesaver.”
Eleven-year-old Rookie Lifeguard, Bertie White, was on holiday with his family in Lanzarote in August 2023, when his lifesaving skills were called upon.
Bertie was swimming in the hotel pool, which was 1.7metres deep, when he noticed a boy of a similar age who seemed to be in difficulty and kept going under the water. He thought the boy had shouted for help, so Bertie swam to him to ask if he needed assistance.
Using the skills he had learnt in his Rookie Lifeguard training, Bertie put his arm under the young boy’s armpit and pulled him to the safety of the side of the pool, checking that he was okay.
Bertie learnt to swim when he was four and began Rookie Lifeguard training at the age of ten, and has now reached his Silver Stage One Award. He remembered the training he received over the years and was able to put it to good use and help someone who was in difficulty.
Bertie’s mum, Helen Gray, said: “It all happened so quickly. Bertie reacted on his gut instinct and his training kicked in. When Bertie told us about the rescue, he was very nonchalant, like it was all in a day’s work for him! We are very proud that he had the confidence and the presence of mind to help the child in distress, and even more that his training kicked straight in to get the child to safety.”
2023 was another successful year for Don’t Drink and Drown, with our new graphics grabbing lots of attention!
We saw some fantastic involvement from our wonderful volunteers and key water safety partners, such as various Fire and Rescue Services, hosting their own mini events in the local community and helping to spread the word with our key messages.
As part of our December 2023 Don’t Drink and Drown campaign, members from Thanet Lifeguard Club and the RNLI Ramsgate’s Community Safety Team came together to highlight the initiative’s important messages to the local community.
Volunteers attended several venues around Ramsgate Harbour to help inform local residents about the importance of smart decision making when it comes to being near water after consuming alcohol. Volunteers spoke with members of the public, handing out leaflets and stressing the responsibility to also #BeAMate and look out for friends who may have had too much to drink, and making sure they return home safely.
Thank you to the Kent Branch for its help in raising awareness on this ever-important issue and for sharing our resources with the local community to help spread the word among local residents.
Margaret and Duncan Spiers who lost their son eight years ago this January also showed their support for the campaign following the tragic drowning of their 28-yearold son, Christopher, in Glasgow. The couple, who also sit on the Scottish Parliament Community Safety Committee as Water Safety Ambassadors, supported the RLSS UK initiative and continue to do great work within their local community to help prevent more tragic drowning accidents.
Duncan said: “We are happy to support such an important campaign. It is vital people don’t walk home near water after a night out, as there are so many dangers. We are pleased to work with the Royal Life Saving Society UK to raise awareness of its lifesaving work, and I know we have its support which means so much.”
We saw over 1,300 mentions of Don’t Drink and Drown across both campaign months on social media, with the number of daily mentions throughout the December campaign increasing by over three times of that in December 2022. This highlights the way in which this year’s messaging was more impactful and created more of a buzz than in previous years.
Our social media campaign also saw involvement from Ben Gibbs at Sober Boozers Club who supported our campaign through an Instagram reel to his 2.8K following, helping us to reach a wider audience - thank you, Ben!
The first leg of the campaign fell in mid-September to coincide with Fresher’s Week and urge students returning from a night out to never leave friends to walk home alone and never to walk home near water after drinking.
Again, focusing on driving awareness of the dangers around drinking alcohol near water, the second phase of the campaign launched in December. Targeting partygoers during the festive period, the RLSS UK Don’t Drink and Drown campaign engaged more people likely to drink and be at risk of drowning.
Throughout the campaign, we saw some great engagement and we hope you were able to see and share our new graphics too! We also added a Christmassy twist to the December campaign this year with festive messaging and shared these on our various social media channels – aiming to engage even more people with our messages!
The December campaign saw an impressive reach through press and media –which included the likes of BBC London, BBC Radio Gloucestershire, BBC North East & Cumbria.
Thank you again to everyone who helped spread the messaging during the #DontDrinkandDrown campaigns for 2023 – with your help, we continue to spread awareness around this ever-important message and reduce tragic preventable drownings from taking place.
Here at RLSS UK, we regularly review our qualifications and awards to ensure they remain current and fit for purpose. Since the last edition of Lifesavers, several qualifications and awards have seen an update. Below are details of some of them and the changes…
It is for businesses with employees working on the water’s edge and at risk of needing to self-rescue. This award includes:
• Enhanced support to those operating under DEFRA guidelines
• Promotion of safer workings for those near water
To find out more, visit www.rlss.org.uk/nwsmp-defra
ATPRA is for aquatic therapists and support workers delivering programmed activities. Formally ATSPRA, this relaunch includes:
• A LIGHT version of this award
• Newly endorsed by the Aquatic Therapy Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (ATACP) https://atacp.csp.org.uk
To find out more, visit www.rlss.org.uk/atpra
The Life Support program is designed for all members of the community and can be taken as a separate standalone award, whilst Life Support 3 is for instructors and those training.
This programme has been updated to include:
• Additional Information and guidance on AEDs
• Changes to the assessment, including the introduction of a choking assessment
• Updates to the assessment process
www.rlss.org.uk/life-support-3
Over the next few months, the Qualifications and Awards team will launch a new-look RLSS UK First Aid suite of awards.
The Sport Official (Pool) Award is for those new to officiating or existing officials, and this brand-new online course will help you understand the ethics and ethos of being a Lifesaving Sport Official. This online course will take you through the principles of officiation, timekeeping, and placing, and it will look at manikin carry and manikin tow, obstacle, and line throw events.
This will include:
• New Opportunity for those looking to become a Lifesaving Sport Official
• A free mandatory Update is available for all existing Lifesaving Sport Officials www.rlss.org.uk/sports-official-pool-award
An updated version of the Emergency Response – Pool (ER-Pool) has been developed for individuals responsible for responding to a swimming pool in an emergency (to perform a rescue or assist a lifeguard team).
The award update includes:
• A new, Formative Practical Assessment
• The syllabus continues to be mapped to offer the ability to certificate the regulated Level 3 Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW)
• Section one of the award has been updated to include dynamic risk assessments and an update on Pool Safety Operating Procedures
A brand-new award designed to ensure individuals are prepared to respond to an emergency within an open water environment when the alarm is raised. The Open Water Emergency Rescue Award can be used by any member of the venue called upon to rescue and provide first aid. It is also a suitable award to back up and support the lifeguard team.
The award includes:
• The role a rescuer plays in an emergency
• Environmental hazards, responding to an emergency
• CPR and First Aid
These awards are not intended to replace lifeguard qualifications; the appropriate lifeguarding qualification should continue to be used when direct supervision is required.
The health and safety of swimmers must be a key priority for all operators and venues. Ensuring your Duty Managers or those who supervise other lifeguards are fully equipped with the skills and knowledge to competently manage a team whilst managing the health and safety of the swimming pool environment is essential. Enrolling them on an NPSQ course is an excellent way to achieve this, but have you also considered upskilling members of your team to be able to deliver it?
The RLSS UK NPSQ Tutor course has been designed to ensure candidates have the skills, knowledge, and confidence to deliver the National Pool Supervisor Qualification (NPSQ). Training your staff also means you have staff members who can support the next generation of Duty Managers and Team Leaders. To be considered for the course, candidates are
required to hold a recognised teacher or trainer qualification, e.g. be a RLSS UK TA or hold a Level 3 Award in Education and Training or higher and hold a recognised Health and Safety qualification such as NEBOSH, IOSH Managing Safely or the RLSS UK National Pool Management Qualification (NPMQ).
The one-day course is fun and engaging, and it provides the tools and resources required to deliver the NPSQ course. It includes workshops, hazard perception videos, scenariobased discussions, and case studies.
For more information or to book your staff for an NPSQ Tutor course, visit www.rlss.org.uk/npsq-tutor-courses
BE LIKE SARAH!
Deborah Byatt, a recently qualified OWL Trainer Assessor, contacted us to share feedback about her RLSS UK MentorSarah Game.
She said: “I found Sarah’s help invaluable through my probationary journey. She was warm and professional and skilfully guided me on what I needed to do. She gave me detailed feedback on my course plans, highlighting where she could see issues and sharing her experience to help me find solutions. She kept me on track with all the details I needed to consider in preparing for my first course but never did it for me. Instead, she ensured I was doing it myself so I could do it independently in the future.
RLSS UK delivers several career development courses designed to ensure that RLSS UK qualifications are delivered in a professional and industry-leading manner and support career progression for our network of RLSS UK Trainer Assessors (TA), Mentors, NTAs, or Instructors.
Below is a list of upcoming courses in the next six months:
Sarah really helped me hone my judgement in those grey areas - again, rather than simply giving me her answer, she helped me and guided me to come up with the solution. We had emails, phone calls, messages, and face-to-face meetups, and Sarah couldn’t have been more patient, empowering and encouraging. Her technical knowledge is absolutely excellent, and I felt really safe being mentored by her.”
We want to say thanks to Sarah and all the other RLSS UK Mentors who go above and beyond to support Probationary Trainer Assessors
If you want to become a Mentor like Sarah, visit www.rlss.org.uk/become-a-rlss-uk-mentor
And we love hearing feedback like this, so remember to share it with us at marketing@rlss.org.uk
NEW Support Finder for IQAs, Assessors and Mentors
RLSS UK Support Finder is a new service available on your RLSS UK Account (powered by tahdah). It will make it much easier to find Internal Quality Assessors (IQAs), Assessors and Mentors to support you in delivering your courses.
Places Leisure recently became one of the first leisure operators in the UK to introduce a new AI-driven drowning prevention system designed to support lifeguards and elevate swimming pool safety.
Installed at Tewkesbury Leisure Centre, which the social enterprise manages on behalf of Tewkesbury Borough Council, the revolutionary system gives lifeguards an unprecedented range of vision.
Keith Evans, Director of Safety & Risk at Places Leisure, says: “It’s important that we remain at the forefront of technology. People expect lifeguards to see everything; it’s a huge pressure on them. This new system observes people’s patterns and behaviours and alerts lifeguards via a smartwatch to behaviours that signal distress. It means our lifeguards can more quickly assess situations and react appropriately. By providing more support for our lifeguard team, we ensure another layer of safety for our customers.”
Unlike other systems, it is not affected by glare or turbidity and provides lifeguards with a view of what’s happening above and below the water, including what’s outside their line of sight.
The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) has been instrumental in bringing the new system to the UK and Ireland by working in collaboration with assisted lifeguard technology company Lynxight to support swimming pool operators. Installed in nine countries and rigorously tested to meet the stringent needs of UK pool operators, the advanced pool safety service uses AI to identify and prevent potential incidents while improving pool safety and operations.
“Conventional pool safety systems require underwater cameras, but a warranty on the pool tank at Tewkesbury prevented us from drilling into the side of the pool. The Lynxight system uses standard CCTV cameras. Unlike other systems, it is not affected by glare or turbidity and provides lifeguards with a view of what’s happening above and below the water, including what’s outside their line of sight,” says Evans.
Lynxight is a pool safety and analytics service designed to manage and mitigate aquatic risks. AI software connects to standard overhead security cameras to deliver real-time alerts on drowning and other water distress situations. Suitable for use in almost all swimming pools, it continuously monitors pool users and alerts lifeguards via their waterproof smartwatch about those who may require assistance. Image reconstruction is used to correct footage through ripples and splashes to ensure everyone can be monitored, while swimming behaviour algorithms help the system detect those who need help.
The smartwatch vibrates and sounds an alarm when the system identifies an incident. The location of the incident appears on the watch, as well as the time since the start of the incident. There are three alerts:
blue – advisory, e.g. overcrowding
yellow – a pool user may be in distress
red – dangerous submersion
In addition to the alerts and safety capabilities, the system provides real-time and recorded data, including the number of users in each pool, the location of users, and the record of any alerts that the system creates. The data is useful to operators in helping them make more informed decisions about pool operations, including pool timetable, usage, and energy, to reduce costs and run the pool more efficiently.
Omega Security Systems took just one week to install at Tewkesbury Leisure Centre, and the system covers the main and learner pool.
Richard Ward, Managing Director of Omega Security Systems, says: “We have provided electronic security systems to the leisure sector for over 30 years. As soon as we saw this system, we knew it had the potential to be huge. The system can be installed without closing and draining the pool, damaging pool tiles, and investing in costly waterproofing. There is no downtime, no loss of revenue, and no impact on the public.”
“The pool usage data and activity analytics will help our performance management. For example, currently, we manually count people coming in and out of our pools to manage bather numbers and pool safety. The system does a digital headcount and sends the information to the lifeguard’s smartwatch in real-time, which is a much more efficient process. The information is stored on the platform, so managers can see the usage of the pool at certain times and days,” says Evans.
The system also provides a heat map showing the location of people in the pool, giving managers greater insight into capacity rates and utilisation and potentially identifying new opportunities for activities in under-utilised spaces to generate revenue.
The Lynxight system utilises standard HD IP CCTV cameras connected directly to a computer, using CAT6e cabling, which ensures the installation is quick and very cost-effective.
An NSI Gold accredited company, Omega, surveyed the Tewkesbury centre, capturing photos and videos from diverse angles to identify the optimal locations for cameras before installing them and the requirements for all the necessary cabling and infrastructure.
“All we need is power and internet access; we can handle the rest. Lynxight then dials in to install the software. It couldn’t be easier.”
The benefits of AI are being felt across all aspects of modern life. As the UK’s leading swimming pool water safety organisation, RLSS UK has been at the forefront of supporting pool operators with qualifications, guidance, consultancy, and expert training to meet evolving water safety challenges for over 30 years. RLSS UK spent several years investigating the benefits of technology and AI for lifeguarding and lifesaving before collaborating with Lynxight to bring the solution to the UK.
“The system complements the highly skilled work of trained lifeguards and is supported by world-leading international research. As a cost-effective solution, we believe the Lynxight system will allow more operators to benefit from the technology, making pools even safer for everyone,” says Jo Talbot, Commercial Director at RLSS UK.
A shared passion to help improve water safety, so everyone can enjoy being in, on, or near water safely.
ARLSS UK Water Safety Partnership is a commercial, mutually beneficial agreement for trusted brands synonymous with high standards of products and services, industry innovation and an ongoing dedication to raising awareness, educating people about water safety and promoting safe waterbased activities.
All RLSS UK Water Safety Partners benefit from a bespoke package, plus exclusive use of the official Water Safety Partner of RLSS UK logo. For more information about becoming a Water Safety Partner, please email learnmore@rlss.org.uk.
We’re proud of our respected and expanding group of RLSS UK Water Safety Partners:
Glasdon UK Limited is a leading manufacturer of essential outdoor water safety equipment. Their Guardian™ Lifebuoy Housing keeps lifesaving equipment protected and readily available. Units are robust and weatherproof to shield buoys from harsh elements, ensuring they’re in perfect condition when needed most.
Units are available in two sizes (600mm and 750mm), with options available with and without buoys, and can be mounted on walls, rails, or posts. Clear graphics are featured on the housing to guide rescuers in emergencies. Units can also be customised with instructions, alerts or logos for added impact.
For more information, visit www.glasdon.com
Wibit proudly presents the Wibit WatchLine, an innovative safety product line designed for water sports enthusiasts. Recognising the vital importance of water safety, they are using cutting-edge products to provide an additional layer of security, allowing you to monitor and ensure a worry-free experience for everyone.
The Wibit WatchLine goes beyond conventional safety measures, offering not only sturdy safeguarding but also an emphasis on comfort and relief for your staff. Whether it’s a stand-alone element or modular components seamlessly integrated into the Wibit SportsPark, the safety solutions are customised to meet the diverse needs of customers and visitors.
Committed to setting new industry standards, Wibit prioritises safety without compromising water sports excitement. Their dedication goes beyond products; they strive to create an environment where fun and security coexist seamlessly.
Choose Wibit WatchLine for an unparalleled water adventure where safety is ensured through effective monitoring, ensuring harmony between excitement and security.
For more information about Wibit, visit www.wibitsports.com
Workplace water safety training is a legal requirement and, thanks to climate change, is more needed than ever.
Water-related incidents can pose significant risks to anyone working near water, from engineers and ecologists to council workers, drainage specialists and construction and grounds maintenance teams. Incidents can happen quickly and unexpectedly, and the consequences can be severe. It’s imperative, therefore, that organisations take the necessary steps to ensure the safety of their employees. Recognised and respected water safety training is more than a legal requirement; it’s a crucial investment in the wellbeing of your employees.
Water safety training is no different from First Aid training or Manual Handling training; it’s all part of ensuring your employees are safe!
However, water safety professionals are concerned that too many companies fail to protect their staff from the risks.
These include Paul Magee, Principal and Chief Instructor of PGM Training, who has over ten years of experience delivering the RLSS UK’s National Water Safety Management Programme (NWSMP) to public and private organisations.
“Many companies, particularly in the private sector, are unaware of their responsibilities. They are very good at providing training for manual handling and working at height, etc., but water safety is just not on their radar,” Paul says.
“Ironically, there is more need for comprehensive water safety training than ever before”, says Chris Eades, Owner of Bristol Maritime Academy, a leading provider of RLSS UK DEFRA training courses, which trained over 1,000 people in water safety last year alone.
“The impact of climate change, increased flooding incidents, and the need for people to work in flooded conditions means high-quality water safety training is more critical than ever,” he continues.
“If you’re questioning the need to train your team to be safe by water, the chances are that you should already be investing in workplace water safety training.”
Regardless of your industry, if any of your employees are working in or near water, they need appropriate training to be aware of hazards and know how to keep themselves safe.
Drowning, cold water shock and other water-related accidents are just a few of the risks that should be addressed, along with the correct use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Public Rescue Equipment (PRE). Practical, highquality training delivered by a trusted training provider will give employees the skills to identify and mitigate hazards and respond effectively to water emergencies. It could ultimately save lives.
“From thinking about where they can get out of the water if they were to fall in, to how to use that throw bag they’ve never opened; water safety training makes people consider the risks of working in and next to water. It’s the insurance you hope you never need,” says Chris.
As the UK’s leading provider of water safety education and training, RLSS UK and its partners offer a variety of training courses designed to meet the needs of those working close to or in water.
This two-hour course focuses on developing the skills and confidence of individuals in using rescue equipment and improvising when necessary. With delivery in a dry environment, the training covers open water hazards, cold water shock, types of rescues and Public Rescue Equipment (PRE). WRET is for individuals in local communities, businesses responsible for public safety near water, organisations responsible for outdoor operatives working in or around water, and education establishments with water features.
Following months of rigorous review, and developed with contributions from industry-leading experts, trainers, and water safety specialists, RLSS UK has revised its respected NWSMP programme to meet current guidance from DEFRA (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs) and the Health and Safety Executive for those working on, in or near water during structured activities. The Institute of Outdoor Learning also endorses the new programme.
Suitable for employers in a wide range of industries, including teaching (field trips), and construction environmental health, leisure and emergency services, this programme equips anyone working in, on or near water with essential knowledge and skills to make informed decisions about managing water
To find out more about Bristol Maritime Academy, visit www.rlss.org.uk/bristol-maritime
safety. The training has two levels to ensure candidates get the most out of the course.
NWSMP Level 1 Water Safety Awareness is equivalent to DEFRA Module 1 Water & Flood Awareness. For teams working at the water’s edge, DEFRA Module 1 focuses on water and flood awareness, including generic open water hazards, risk management, land-based rescue techniques, personal protective equipment (PPE) and aquatic clothing.
SCAN HERE for water safety advice for your business.
The NWSMP Inland Waterways Module is the equivalent to the DEFRA Module 2 Water & Flood First Responder. This level is designed for first responders and focuses on specific inland waterway hazards and in-water skills. It covers inlandspecific hazards, in-water rescue skills, personal safety, dynamic risk management and river crossing.
Paul, who has worked in search and rescue for over 30 years, welcomes the new addition to the programme: “I’ve worked to DEFRA standards for years and am very pleased they are part of the NWSMP training. It takes water safety training to another level; the public is getting the same training as rescue professionals.”
There is also a DEFRA (Module 1) Flood and Awareness Course with Annexe H, which covers DEFRA 1 and includes a practical in-water element of self-rescues to meet the requirements set out in Annexe H. It covers the hazards associated with water, basic land-based rescue techniques, use of PPE and rescue equipment.
Companies must prioritise comprehensive water safety training to equip their teams with the skills to navigate potential risks. Such training increases awareness, especially in identifying hazards, and allows employees to implement procedures to reduce risks and make informed choices in unpredictable situations to protect themselves and their colleagues.
Bristol Maritime Academy is one of the UK’s leading providers of water safety training for businesses operating in outdoor environments. They will principally support the delivery of NWSMP DEFRA. This partnership will strengthen our offering to companies with employees working on, in or near water and share our water safety training and messages with new audiences.
Bristol Maritime Academy is helping us educate employers to consider water safety qualifications as necessary as First Aid at Work qualifications are; if an employer or organisation has water on their premises or needs their staff to operate safely in, on, or near water, they may need water safety qualifications.
rescue equipment, and operations, all in line with UK law, legislation, best practice, and industry guidance. The aim was to help North Devon Council understand their responsibilities around water safety and guide them to the best solutions for their situation.
IRLSS UK provide Water Safety Review for Ilfracombe Harbour, managed by North Devon Council
lfracombe Harbour is the largest harbour on the North Devon coastline and has existed as a port for centuries. Following internal planning processes and community engagement, North Devon Council, which manages the area, wanted to explore opening the tidal basin at the harbour to groups such as local diving and swimming clubs. Also in the harbour is Larkstone Cove, where a new watersports hub has recently opened, offering instructor-led activities in coasteering, kayaking, open water swimming, and stand-up paddle boarding.
In the summer of 2023, North Devon Council commissioned RLSS UK Consultancy to undertake a Water Safety Review. RLSS UK consultants visited the site to learn more about the facilities, associated safety equipment and environment. They also met with key stakeholders, including beach rangers, local RNLI volunteers, council employees, the harbour master, and local groups that use the facilities. Using their findings, they compiled a comprehensive Water Safety Risk Assessment and Water Safety Report, which detailed the current arrangements and made recommendations in areas such as signage, safety and
Captain Georgina Carlo-Paat MBE, Ilfracombe Harbour Master, said: “We started to consider the health and safety implications of opening the tidal basin, and that’s when we discovered the consultancy arm of the RLSS UK. The RLSS UK consultants were absolutely brilliant, and the site visit was a really, really good day. Even before receiving the report, we could start moving a few steps ahead”.
She praised the accessibility and clarity of the report, commenting: “No one in the Council had an issue understanding what the report was saying, which can be difficult as they’re not all aware of the ins and outs of the harbour.”
We started to consider the health and safety implications of opening the tidal basin, and that’s when we discovered the consultancy arm of the RLSS UK. The RLSS UK consultants were absolutely brilliant, and the site visit was a really, really good day.
Regarding working with RLSS UK, she said: “Knowing that RLSS UK is there at the end of the phone or email if we have further questions gives the Council peace of mind. When we go out and say we’ve had RLSS UK in to help, people know we’ve gone that extra mile to ensure we’re doing what we can”.
When asked what advice she would give other local authorities considering their water safety liabilities, she said: “If you think you need a Water Safety Review, then don’t wait. We gave this an awful lot of thought and research prior to contacting RLSS UK. If we had gone straight to RLSS UK, we could have got all that information quicker”.
• Risk Assessment review and creation
• Training, capability and qualification review and creation
• Operational planning review and creation
• Signage review and design
• Rescue equipment review and advice
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) review and advice
• Audit completion for safety systems and procedures
• Water safety plan review and creation
• Water safety advice
• Event safety for activities in, on or near water
• Mystery visits at water venues
There have been occasions, during document requests from the Compliance team, when ATCs and ATPs have provided Internal Quality Assurance (IQA) checks, which have been completed retrospectively. For example, for a face-to-face IQA on a course delivered in August, the report used to document the IQA was on the November 2023 edition.
As a reminder, face-to-face IQAs should be completed at the time of observation, and any remote/document reviews should be completed within two weeks of course/assessment completion. Planning your courses and assessments in advance will support the completion of IQAs.
The type of IQA completed also depends upon the risk rating of your Trainers and Assessors – please remember high risk does not mean the individual is a bad TA; ‘risk’ relates to the level of risk presented to the regulated qualification through frequency of delivery/assessment, inexperience as a new TA or prior compliance concerns.
Additional details for risk rating and IQA completion may be found in the ATC/P Guidance manual, pages 17-24.
Standardisation is the process of creating, issuing, and implementing standards.
All Approved Training Centres or Providers (ATC/Ps), as a minimum, should hold one standardisation meeting every year or more frequently if updates need to be communicated. This can be completed either faceto-face or via a video conferencing platform such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, etc.
All ATC/Ps must ensure any Trainer, Assessor, Internal Quality Assurer, or any staff member involved in the delivery and awarding of RLSS UK Qualifications attend these meetings.
All communications should be recorded for auditing purposes.
A new function within the ATC/P Account is ready to be utilised. All ATC/Ps are now required to upload their policies to their RLSS UK ATC/P Account ready for audit. (Appeals Policy, Complaints Policy, Equality and Diversity Policy, Malpractice and Maladministration Policy, and Reasonable Adjustments and Special Considerations Policy).
How to upload your ATC policies to your RLSS UK Account (powered by tahdah):
1. Log in to your RLSS UK Account
2. Access your ATC account/Mother site for multisite organisations
3. Click on the policy tab
• Select ‘Upload Files’
• Either from an open folder, drag and drop the file into the area shown, or use ‘Browse Files’ to find and select the policy to upload, then click ‘Open’.
• Once the file appears in the box, click ‘Upload’.
• After the file has been uploaded, you can close the dialogue box.
It is a requirement of an ATC/P to have an ATC/P Coordinator in place. The ATC/P Coordinator must inform the RLSS UK Compliance team of any significant changes to the ATC by completing an ATC/P Change of Details form.
The ATC/P Change of Details form can be found within your ATC/P account Resources and Documents (ATC/ ATP Administration, ATC/ATP Guidance) and must be completed to advise:
• Changes to ATC/P Coordinator
• Adding, removing, withdrawing, or reactivating an ATC/P
The ATC/P Coordinator must not make any of these amendments to the account; this can only be completed by the RLSS UK Compliance team.
In line with RLSS UK Qualifications’ Reasonable Adjustment and Special Consideration Policy, the following more commonly requested reasonable adjustments can be granted at the discretion of the ATC/P; there are no requirements to apply to RLSS UK Qualifications.
(Please note this list is not exhaustive, and other adjustments may be considered).
The ATC/P must maintain records of all reasonable adjustments made as they may be requested by RLSS UK Qualifications for audit purposes.
An exemplar record form is available within your resources area. Alternatively, you may use your own form as long as it contains the same information.
If you are an ATC/P Coordinator or Trainer Assessor, there is a FREE online learning module in your account designed to give a brief introduction to Reasonable Adjustments “ATC/P and TA Reasonable Adjustment Introduction.”
We have received a number of reports where RLSS UK courses have been advertised incorrectly on the RLSS UK Course Finder or via social media platforms. For example, a full NRASTC course is advertised as a oneday course.
As a reminder, it is the responsibility of the ATC Coordinator/course organiser to ensure that any courses or assessments advertised are factually correct and not misleading to candidates. When advertising courses and assessments, you must take into consideration breaks and other factors such as changing times or room hire availability.
For many of our Rookie Lifeguards, our programme offers the first opportunity to explore water safety. Our Rookies gradually gain independence and confidence while learning vital life skills through a range of fun activities that lead towards a series of awards.
Scan the QR code to find out more
Thank you to everyone who took part in our recent Lifeguard surveys. We had 4,129 complete responses, including 3,862 NPLQ holders, 221 OWL and 157 NVBLQ holders. Your feedback is hugely valuable in helping us understand what matters to you. Below is a summary of our key findings and learning.
Thank you to everyone who took part in our recent Lifeguard surveys. We had 4,129 complete responses, including 3,862 NPLQ holders, 221 OWL and 157 NVBLQ holders. Your feedback is hugely valuable in helping us understand what matters to you. Below is a summary of our key findings and learning.
Leisure operators have opportunities to retain student lifeguards...
Leisure operators have opportunities to retain student lifeguards...
96%
96%
92%
of lifeguards have already of lifeguards intending to go away to uni/college
92%
of lifeguards have already of lifeguards intending to go away to uni/college
in the next two years are interested in working as a lifeguard whilst at uni (n=1,034)
in the next two years are interested in working as a lifeguard whilst at uni (n=1,034)
80% of NPLQ holders completed their qualification to work or volunteer as a lifeguard
80% of NPLQ holders completed their qualification to work or volunteer as a lifeguard
85% of NPLQ holders have worked in a lifeguarding role in the last 6 months (n=3,862)
85% of NPLQ holders have worked in a lifeguarding role in the last 6 months (n=3,862)
No surprise as…
No surprise as…
84% of lifeguards would rate their experience of working in the role as “good” or “excellent” (n=2,456)
92% of lifeguards working at lakes and beaches feel like they make a difference (n=118)
92% of lifeguards working at lakes and beaches feel like they make a difference (n=118)
Working as a lifeguard provides transferrable skills that are useful throughout an individual’s career...
Working as a lifeguard provides transferrable skills that are useful throughout an individual’s career...
93% enhanced their communication skills
93% enhanced their communication skills
NPLQ holder
NPLQ holder
89% increased in self-confidence recommended a job as a lifeguard to others
OWL holder
84% of lifeguards would rate their experience of working in the role as “good” or “excellent” (n=2,456)
Good job, develop skills, meet people, work in a team, fun, responsibility, feel that what you're doing matters.
Good job, develop skills, meet people, work in a team, fun, responsibility, feel that what you're doing matters.
89% increased in self-confidence recommended a job as a lifeguard to others
I love the diversity of my role, and getting to know regular customers is so lovely. It has given me so much confidence and taught me how to deal with all manner of interactions, including difficult ones.
I love the diversity of my role, and getting to know regular customers is so lovely. It has given me so much confidence and taught me how to deal with all manner of interactions, including difficult ones.
OWL holder
92% improved their teamwork skills
92% improved their teamwork skills
It is the best job ever. It is so much fun. And you are never bored because there is always something to do.
NVBLQ holder
It is the best job ever. It is so much fun. And you are never bored because there is always something to do.
NVBLQ holder
(n=2,456)
(n=2,456)
The weekend of 23 – 24 March saw the National Speed Lifesaving Championships (affectionately known as Speeds) kick off RLSS UK’s 2024 Lifesaving Sport calendar! The competition is the largest of its kind in the UK, and sees athletes aged 12+ competing for national titles in Lifesaving Sport.
This year’s event was not only one of the largest events in Speeds history with over 550 competitors, but the championship was held at Sandwell Aquatics Centre for the first time; a venue purpose-built for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. It was incredible to see our amazing Lifesaving Sport athletes come together and follow in the footsteps of the likes of Adam Peaty and Bethany Firth to compete in this prestigious venue.
In addition to a new venue, the team was also able to debut a YouTube livestream this year, enabling people from around the UK, Ireland and further afield to watch all the action as it happened.
I couldn’t make the event in person due to commitments with other children. The YouTube stream meant that I could watch my son win his first medal –absolutely amazing.
Our first lifesaving event and such a positive experience. My son had lost some of his enthusiasm for swimming and lifesaving has given both him and my daughter renewed purpose and confidence. Competitive but a much friendlier, team atmosphere. You could feel that within the spectators as well.
Thank you so much.
Events got underway bright and early on Saturday with the fast and furious 50m Manikin Carry and Super Lifesaver. The ever-talented Emily Robson from Loughborough University Lifesaving Club took first place in both events, and even achieved a Silver medal in the 200m Obstacles that followed! The gold medal in the Open category of Super Lifesaver went to Sam Lawman, who represented team Race Pace in their debut at Speeds 2024.
Our athletes were clearly raring to go for round two on Sunday with more record-breaking performances. Sam Lawman achieved a British Record in the Open 100m Rescue Medley and Amaia Lopez achieved a British Junior Record in the Female event.
The morning’s events came to a close with the popular Pool Lifesaver Relay, won by RASCALS, closely followed by Loughborough Students and Belfast Olympia. In the afternoon, Line Throws were a real highlight with Ruth McDougall of Belfast Olympia winning gold in the 12.5m with an impressive time of 00:13:43. The Open category saw Martin Schofield of Crawley Town Life Saving Club achieve an amazing world record time of 00:08:84!
Sunday afternoon also saw a brand-new event on the schedule with the 50m Manikin Carry for 12-14s and 60+. The Open event saw a triple celebration for team RASCALS their athletes Riley, Tobias and Harry came in first, second and third place!
Speeds 2024 came to a close with the hotly-anticipated Medley Relays where Loughborough came in first for the females, and Race Pace topped the podium for the Open.
Thank you to our Event Organisers, Officials, volunteers and the brilliant staff at Sandwell for all your support and assistance. A special thank you also goes out to the fantastic network of athletes, Coaches, Team Managers, parents and supporters who attended. Without all of you, RLSS UK Speeds would not be possible.
Looking ahead, we now eagerly await the biennial Lifesaving World Championships, which will take place on the Gold Coast of Australia this August and of course - the National Lifesaving Championships (Nationals) will be returning in Autumn, so we hope to see lots of you in Leeds on 2 November!
The One Team Administration is calling for athletes to formally declare participation in the selection process to compete at the 2024 ILS World Championships in Australia this summer.
Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity! Scan the QR code for the selection criteria, terms and conditions, and how to apply.
In December, we were thrilled to launch a brand-new suite of Sport Awards as part of the National Lifesaving Academy (NLA), providing a fantastic opportunity for lifesavers and swimmers aged 12+ to get involved with Lifesaving Sport.
The awards are structured in a way that allows athletes to improve their fitness whilst learning the basic skills required in Lifesaving Sport, before progressing to awards that develop specialist skills in different events. Participants can specialise in one event or challenge themselves to collect all of the Sport Awards! www.rlss.org.uk/nla-sport-award
Everyone at RLSS UK is hugely excited to share the news that we have been selected to deliver the 2025 Commonwealth Lifesaving Championships on behalf of RLSS Commonwealth Drowning Prevention.
We have already secured a fantastic venue for the event and look forward to welcoming many of you to Wales National Pool in Swansea.
We can’t wait to share more exciting details with you soon. Until then, please save the dates!
10 - 13 July 2025
Wales National Pool, Swansea
Our National Lifesaving Academy (NLA) programme is designed to provide essential skills for life, which includes beach, pool and open water elements. Seeking to teach younger people how to stay safe around water and how to safely assist others who may have gotten into difficulty, this course is becoming more popular among young adults across the UK and Ireland looking to get their awards.
I really enjoyed the course, and I can’t wait to become a lifeguard! – Kate Hanley, aged 16
Our NLA students in Magherabeg Leisure Centre, in Downings, Ireland, in particular have been busy with all sorts of lifesaving activities – from completing their Bronze Medallions to finishing their Assistant Lifesaving Instructor courses, with many looking forward to receiving their Distinction Award at the end of this term.
Cormac Doherty, aged 14, said: “I found the course enjoyable. Meeting new people was something I loved in particular. Building up my endurance was challenging but satisfying, and some of the exercises were difficult but I
We are delighted to announce that Worcester City U10s Football Club has chosen the RLSS UK to be their charity partner for the 2023/24 season, placing the RLSS UK logo on team shirt sleeves to raise awareness, as well as adding the logo to various social media posts and club advertising.
They will be raising funds for the charity and have also begun taking part in lifesaving activities – more to follow!
Team Manager, James Long, said: “When looking for a charity to support, the boys wanted to pick something close to their heart and tied to their love for swimming.
“Although the boys all love being in the water, their lifesaving knowledge was very limited, and this has given them and their families the opportunity to learn more around water safety.
“We’ve been really proud to raise awareness and highlight the organisation and hopefully this helps to encourage others, especially children and parents, to learn more around being safe in, on or around water.”
The Suffolk Branch, (organised by St Edmundsbury Lifesaving Club), ran the annual Sheila Norman open water competition on Felixstowe Beach last September.
This event saw entries from Sudbury Lifesaving Club, St Edmundsbury Lifesaving Club and Ipswich lifesaving Club. On the day, competitors were paired up with mixed teams from the three different clubs – and for several competitors, it was their first competition.
The Open comprised of four events; a flag relay run, landbased rope throw rescue, Rookie fitness challenge and torpedo swim challenge.
It was clear to see all of the Rookies had a great time!
Congratulations are in order for St. John Berchman’s Lifesaving Club and South Worcester Lifesaving and Lifeguard Club as they mark a very special milestone this year, with both clubs celebrating their 50th anniversary!
Running a lifesaving club for five decades is certainly no mean feat – but to do so while successfully engaging the local community and promoting the importance of water safety is especially impressive.
We’d like to take this moment to thank these two clubs for all of their ongoing efforts over the decades to help raise awareness of lifesaving and all the progress made – you really do make all the difference.
Here’s to the next 50 years!
At the Bengals Pride Awards in October 2023, Chalkwell Lifeguards were awarded with the Sir Amess Memorial Award.
In its fifth year, the Bengals Pride Awards is a unique platform where East and West Bengal come together to recognise the best in their community. The ceremony is dedicated to celebrating the achievements of the Bengali ethnic community from India and Bangladesh. The club now has their amazing award on display in pride of place.
A very big well done to British Universities Life Saving Clubs’ Association (BULSCA), which has already hosted a number of lifesaving competitions since the start of 2024!
The events include both Speed lifesaving and Simulated Emergency Response Championship (SERC), and clubs are invited from universities all over the UK to compete. Year on year, the number of participants and clubs continues to grow and that is down to the incredible work carried out by the young volunteers who make up the BULSCA and University teams.
We can’t wait to see what else you achieve this year!
“A very special day for two youngsters at Dawlish Warren Lifesaving Club”, Junior Training Officer, Katy Herdman, tells us about the boys experiencing the National Lifesaving Championships for the first time.
Saturday 4 November dawned bright and early for the youngsters from Dawlish Warren Lifesaving Club. Filled with excitement as well as nervous anticipation, two of the club’s junior members, James Bloor and Joe Turner, were thrilled about taking part in last year’s RLSS UK National Lifesaving Championships at the John Charles Centre for Sport, in Leeds.
Predominantly a beach lifesaving club, Dawlish Warren Lifesaving Club had never entered the National Championships before and the team were keen to find out more. Earlier in the year, eight members of the club joined with Bovey Tracey Lifesaving Club for some pool-based training.
Ian and Sue Hutchins, who run Bovey Club, introduced the juniors to the idea of Lifesaving Sport as an added element to their lifesaving skills. Some juniors then took part in the regional heat in July and qualified for the Nationals. During the year, the club’s juniors had trained mostly on the beach. So for them, the pool-based activities were new and exciting as they added a competitive race element to the skills they had already been learning.
Upon arrival, James and Joe were impressed by the facility’s size and the number of competitors from all around the country. Having travelled almost 250 miles to get there, it was fantastic to see competitors from Scotland, Ireland, Wales and various other parts of the UK.
“Competition was fierce but James and Joe gave stellar performances, placing overall 9th out of 15 in their age group – securing 4th place in the dry scenario and 5th place in the rope rescue!”
Ed Thorne, Club Captain, added: “It was great to see the boys using some of the skills that they’ve learnt over the past few years. An event like this encourages them to learn to use those skills quickly and competitively, and one day those skills may be needed to save someone’s life.”
While it may seem like an unlikely partnership, the team at RLSS UK HQ has recently been making waves in the world of football too! And in the words of Sir Alex Ferguson: “I can’t believe it. I can’t believe it…”
Well, we’ve discovered that footballrelated activity is providing us with a valuable route into some of the most at-risk and harder-to-reach communities. This, in turn, is helping us to communicate our water safety messaging to audiences that we often struggle to connect with.
We really want to make this a growth area, so if you have any connections in football at any level, we’d love to chat!
Here are some of the projects we’ve been working on so far…
We have two fantastic new graphics available, aimed at getting water safety advice to football fans. You may have spotted them already on our social media pages as they performed amazingly, achieving an incredible 452 combined shares on Facebook – thank you for helping us to spread the word far and wide!
Last summer, you may have spotted the Manchester United Foundation supporting us with an open water swimming workshop and a video message from left-back, Luke Shaw.
This year, Manchester United FC gifted us a pennant flag to raffle off to our followers – signed by six players, including Bruno Fernandes, Raphael Varane and Diego Dalot. Through this raffle, we were able to raise vital funds to support our lifesaving work whilst giving one of our followers an opportunity to own a piece of Man Utd history. Congratulations to our winner, Beth Marsh!
We’re in talks with BCFC to collaborate on some joint education sessions at schools in Solihull.
As part of their Community Outreach programme, the ‘Blues’ are delivering educational football related sessions to pupils at the primary school which some of the boys that tragically drowned at the Babbs Mill Lake incident in December 2022 attended.
The football club and RLSS UK will therefore work in partnership to deliver vital water safety advice and training in a fun and active environment whilst also recognising the sensitive situation and ensuring that the children, staff, parents and wider community feel fully supported and wellinformed throughout. Working in collaboration with other organisations such as Birmingham City FC really does help to open up new doors for us as a charity and gives us the opportunity to reach new communities who need our lifesaving advice the most.
Pull out these pages for the kids in your life to get creative, be inspired and challenge themselves - all whilst learning about water safety!
Laura Winter is a well-known sports broadcaster, commentator and journalist, who covers a variety of sports including swimming, cycling, rowing, F1 and rugby and has presented at a number of major sporting events. She has also featured on BBC Sport, Sky Sports F1, Eurosport, ITV4 and BT Sport amongst others.
What skills have you used since being a lifeguard that you learnt or developed as a lifeguard?
Undoubtedly lifeguarding is not an ordinary first job. You have an immense responsibility - not just for your own performance and standards at work - but also for other people’s lives. Stepping up to more responsibility, shouldering it, and embracing that is something I learnt very quickly on the job and still pride myself in today. It was also a wonderfully supportive team environment too - you knew there was no question - everyone had your back. That is a great first job to have. It also means some of the people I was working with 15 (!) years ago, are still friends to this today. I loved being a lifeguard.
What did you enjoy most about being a lifeguard?
The team environment without a doubt. Working outdoors, with like-minded people who became great friends was a joy and I really looked forward to going to work every day. I loved the responsibility, I felt valued and important and that I had a purpose within a strong team.
Can you find all these words in the grid?
Why not share your pieces of art with us? Simply post
At RLSS UK, we are looking to expand and build meaningful partnerships to improve water safety outcomes so that everyone can enjoy being in, on and around water safely.
Despite the significant impact of our work, loss of life to accidental drowning remains a challenge and means that our work must continue to grow, in partnership with those who share our passion for the encouragement of every community to access water safely.
We’re therefore delighted to be able to offer organisations that share our vision and our values a range of opportunities to support our vital lifesaving work in the UK and Ireland.
We have created a number of packages we hope organisations will want to get involved with to create mutually beneficial relationships.
Read on to see how you can possibly help us to begin meaningful conversations with new corporate partners!
As the UK’s largest participatory water safety campaign, Drowning Prevention Week celebrated its tenth year in 2023 and saw significant growth – with 1.85m+ children educated via our free water safety resources and RLSS UK website visits being 93% up on a typical week.
In 2024, we have ambitious targets to grow the reach of our campaign even further. We understand that sponsorship of the whole campaign is an undertaking, and there are other opportunities to support crucial elements of the campaign too.
This year, we are looking for a sponsor for the campaign and distribution of resource packs to schools in less affluent areas.
Each year as part of Drowning Prevention Week, we look to increase support from politicians in their local constituencies and to keep water safety firmly on the political agenda. This helps support our wider agenda to lobby at Government level to get class-based water safety education embedded into the national curriculum.
In 2023, we had the incredible support of The Wetsuit Factory (TWF) who sponsored a parliamentary event in Westminster and the inaugural UK Drowning Report. This enabled us to establish the water safety conversation at the highest level and ensure the drowning report is consistently used in policy discussions, aiding the development of national and local water safety initiatives.
2024 will see us deliver an event in Parliament, which focuses on the importance of children receiving free access to vital practical water safety skills and knowledge. MPs, civil servants, and the public will also be attending Westminster, as well as the media.
Our overall aim is to gain the full support of MPs both at Government level and in their constituencies, to further grow momentum behind our campaign.
As a charity, it’s important that we find ways to achieve equity so that everyone is able to access crucial water safety training, which in most cases results in a stable opportunity for employment. We work with local delivery partners each year to offer financial support to individuals who otherwise couldn’t afford a route into lifeguarding.
Moving forwards, our aim for 2024 is to support 100 individuals with employment through our lifeguard qualifications. These opportunities will be specifically targeted at individuals from low-income and ethnically diverse communities to help increase participation in aquatics.
Our Event Water Safety Team forms part of RLSS UK’s suite of water safety solutions. Our team offers clear, impartial and practical water safety support for any event taking place in or around water – and thanks to our amazing volunteers, RLSS UK has the support to be able to host a range of events and festivals across the event season, which we expect to grow significantly over the next three years.
We have an incredible upcoming opportunity to sponsor our team at this year’s Great North Swim – and this will include brand placement on the Water Safety Team clothing and banners whilst on site.
The UK’s biggest open-water swimming event, The Great North Swim invites over 5,000 swimmers across the festival, as well as families and supporters.
If you think you know of a company that would be interested in starting a conversation with us, please contact us at marketing@rlss.org.uk or point them in our direction!
We have lots of great ways to make donations so it can be easy for everyone to help raise vital funds for RLSS UK and help us to allow everyone the opportunity to enjoy water safely.
Text:
Donations via text are quick and easy. All you need to do is:
To donate £3, text RLSSUK001 to 70331
To donate £5, text RLSSUK001 to 70970
To donate £10, text RLSSUK001 to 70191
Online:
Donations can be made via our website www.rlss.org.uk/donate - for any amount that you are able to give. You can either donate a one-off amount or set-up regular payments via direct debit.
Cheque:
Cheques made payable to RLSS UK can be sent to:
Royal Life Saving Society UK
Have you seen our new donation boxes?
We have recently created some brand new donation boxes which you can order to display in areas such as workplace receptions or at events to encourage those passing to donate. When the box is full you can pay the money into the RLSS UK bank account.
Email fundraising@rlss.org.uk for more information!
If you are a UK taxpayer, please Gift Aid your donation.
Gift Aid is a government scheme that allows us to reclaim the basic rate tax you pay as a UK taxpayer. It means that we can claim 25p of tax for every £1 you donate, at no extra cost to you. All you need to do is complete a Gift Aid declaration, usually a tickbox, when donating.
We are delighted to launch our new contactless donation platform GiveTap.
GiveTap is a simple, easy and trusted way to collect contactless donations anywhere by a simple tap on a phone! More information on page 60.
If you would like to leave a gift to RLSS UK in your Will, you can email legacy@rlss.org.uk and we will guide you through the process of making your free Will.
a water safety lesson
Trains a volunteer to teach water safety
Teaches a classroom of children in water safety
RLSS UK was delighted to have been chosen as one of the official charity partners for the Birmingham and Black Country Half Marathon 2024 and we’d love for you to come along and run for us!
Join us on a (hopefully) sunny Saturday in July and take on the challenge of this 13.1 mile canalside route from Wolverhampton to Birmingham. Runners will enjoy a traffic-free route with lots of beautiful scenery and wildlife along the way. There will also be water stations available every three miles, chipped times and easily accessible start and finish lines. Those who complete the challenge will also receive a medal and goody bag, of course!
You can sign up for a free place to run for team RLSS UK on our website*. We simply ask that our runners commit to raising at least £100 in sponsorship (excluding gift aid).
Date: Saturday 6 July 2024
Start line: Wolverhampton Boat Yard
Trains someone to be a lifeguard who would otherwise not have the opportunity
Our youngest fundraiser, keen to take on the challenge of a lifetime, was none other than eight-year-old, Amelia Hill!
Amelia is a keen swimmer who undertook the challenge to ‘Swim a Mile for March’ as part of our Mini Make A Splash challenge. Her aim was to swim up to 1,600m and raise as much money as possible to help RLSS UK. With a passion for making a difference, Amelia’s wish was to raise money so that as many people as possible can be taught water safety, no matter their background.
After an amazingly active month where Amelia swam her heart out, she certainly made a splash – swimming a total of 3225m and raising a fantastic £328!
Amelia’s journey, coupled with her sheer enthusiasm, has inspired us all and shows that no goal is too big – see how you too can save lives and get involved in your own fundraising journey!
To see more inspiring stories, visit www.rlss.org.uk/make-a-splash
All event participants receive a Make a Splash Challenge swim badge!
Choose the distance and complete the challenge in a location, timescale and manner
Meet more of our fantastic Make A Splash fundraisers...
Vanessa Vajana
Group Leader of the Thanet Open Water Swimming Community who offered free swimming sessions for her local community over three months
“I wanted to find a reason to challenge the swimmers and dippers within my community (Thanet Open Water Swimming) as well as give back, as this is a big part of who I am and why I became an Open Water Swim Coach about two and half years ago.
Water safety is a big part of my role, I came across RLSS UK’s work more recently and have used some of its resources to raise awareness – so when I saw the Make a Splash challenge, I decided to involve my community as well. One of the reasons I also chose the Make A Splash challenge, is that it was about wellbeing and that fits in with a lot of what I do too.
As part of the challenge, I provided free sessions most weeks from October through to December. This allowed the community a safe space to meet, swim and dip as well as forge closer Challenge yourself whilst fundraising to help
relationships. But what really motivates me is being able to help my community challenge themselves so that they become more confident and resilient in themselves, safely. Each session and interaction is an opportunity to impart safety education.
The group is very inclusive and is made up of mixed swimming abilities. For some this was their first winter/cold water swimming experience, whereas others have only dipped in water and are now swimming further. There are no requirements about the attire we wear either as every swim is different and we learn from this.
Swimming outdoors allows us to experience the tidal pool in different weather conditions, to observe nature and the changes in lights that make swimming outdoors so much more enjoyable than swimming in an indoor pool.
The advice I always give my swimmers is – listen to your body, never egg anyone on and watch out for each other!”.
Daniel Owens is taking on the ultimate fundraising challenge for RLSS UK this June! For the past two years, Daniel has completed the Ironman Triathlon and a 24-Hour Hill Walk and is keen to continue building on his endurance.
On Friday 28 June at St. Peter’s Leisure Centre, in Burnley, Daniel is challenging himself to swim as far as he can for up to 12 hours from 9am-9pm.
Daniel said: “The Royal Life Saving Society UK does a brilliant job in helping people to swim, and more importantly to save lives!
“In July 2021, I was diagnosed with breast cancer – completely out of the blue. Prior to this I had been a regular swimmer, heading to the pool two or three times a week.
“Following surgery and my radiotherapy, my motivation for getting myself back into the swimming pool had gone – I felt exhausted. I would do a session or so, but I just couldn’t get back into my previous routine of swimming regularly.
Many people sadly lose their lives due to open water drowning, whether that is through inexperience or unfortunate circumstances. I want to raise awareness of the good work this charity does in preventing lives being lost in open water.”
Keep updated with the progress Daniel is making in preparation for his epic fundraising challenge on his JustGiving page: www.justgiving.com/page/daniel-owens7
“My daughter brought Make a Splash to my attention, and something clicked. My thought process was if I commit and friends and family support me, that will be the driver to get me back into a regular swimming routine – and it has worked!
“I was overwhelmed by the level of support from my nearest and dearest and that was my driving force to succeed throughout. This kept me going during the especially tough times after my enthusiasm was thwarted following a bike accident – which left me with two broken ribs, a broken clavicle and snapped ligament. Surgery to repair my shoulder meant no swimming for several months and so I further challenged myself by completing my challenge in half the time I’d originally set myself.
“With trepidation, I went to my local pool not having swam for three months and over the course of three weeks, I very proudly completed my goal. I feel much stronger being back in the pool and my efforts have raised money for such a deserving cause.
“I would recommend anyone to do this – it has motivated me to do something to help others and has reinvigorated my enthusiasm for swimming, not once but twice!”
SCAN HERE to read more Make a Splash fundraisers stories
We are here to support all our fantastic fundraisers throughout their fun journeys this 2024! If you have a challenge in mind, please consider fundraising for RLSS UK. You can find out more by visiting the website.
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