GLL Supports Drowning Prevention Week Across Cornwall Leisure Centres

Drowning Prevention Week runs until 21st June

An average of 307 people drown in the UK and Ireland each year, with nearly half of those deaths happening between May and August, according to the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS).

To help raise awareness and promote water safety, GLL – the social enterprise that runs nine leisure centres in Cornwall on behalf of Cornwall Council – is supporting the RLSS’s Drowning Prevention Week, which runs until 21st June 2025.

Free resources and discounted lessons

Natallie Ashton, GLL’s Area Swim School Lead for West Cornwall, said:

“We are proud to play our part in ensuring our families stay safe in the summer and are urging parents to access the free water safety resources available on the RLSS website.”

You can find the RLSS resources here: www.rlss.org.uk

Throughout this week, all Better leisure centres in Cornwall are focusing on water safety. As well as school sessions that include the RLSS lesson plans, centres are offering free colouring and puzzle activities for children, and displays highlighting key safety messages.

There’s also a 50% discount available on swim school fees until 30th July. Use the discount code SUMMER50 when signing up online at Better leisure centres.

A life skill every child should have

Natallie said:

“In a coastal community like Cornwall, being able to enjoy the water whilst also knowing what to do in an emergency is, we believe, an essential life skill.”

The RLSS is especially concerned about the long-term impact of missed swimming lessons during the pandemic.

“Since the start of the pandemic, the RLSS estimates that close to two million children have missed out on the opportunity of school swimming lessons in England alone – an extremely worrying statistic that mustn’t be ignored,” Natallie added.

What to do in an emergency

The RLSS message to anyone in trouble in water is:

• Stop and Think

• Stay Together

• Call 999

• Float

As a social enterprise, GLL offers concessionary swim school memberships, and all swim school memberships include access to other swimming sessions. More information is available at: https://www.better.org.uk/monthly-membership/better-hf-conc