Water safety

Water safety

This weekend sees the start of Drowning Prevention Week (14 to 21 June 2025), drowning prevention week is one of the largest summer water safety campaigns across the UK.

The week is deliberately timed ahead of the school summer holidays when children spend more time outdoors, around open water and in paddling pools. 49% of UK accidental drownings occur between May and August. We also see a heightened risk of drowning when air temperatures are higher.

When UK average maximum temperatures reach or exceed 25°c:-

There is a fivefold increase in accidental drowning risk, when compared to days with an average temperature of 10°c

Over half of those who drowned were swimming, reflecting more people actively entering the water.

Teenagers aged 13-17 years and young adults are proportionately more likely to lose their lives.

Vital water safety skills, as well as raising awareness of the potential dangers to parents, can help keep children safe.

Get children, young people and parents/carers talking about summer water safety and download the summer water safety poster or visit Water Safety Education Resources for Schools for more resources. You can also access resources for parents at Parents Resources | Royal Life Saving Society UK ( RLSS UK )

For further information access the Royal Life Saving Society UK website and use these resources across the year.

Reply to this message

Message Sent By
Andrei Cucos
(GMP, PCSO, Bolton South Neighbourhood Team - Bolton Town Centre Team)