Drowning Prevention Week

As Carlisle experienced a tragic event during the half term, when 2 teenagers lost their lives in the River Eden, Drowning Prevention Week was more important than ever.

As a result of this both our Carlisle centres made a special effort to involve KS3 children in our Drowning Prevention programme.  As swimming is only a compulsory part of primary school education our older young adults can miss the chance to improve on their swim fitness. 

Trinity Pool is located within a Secondary School which do use the facilities for wet PE sessions.  GLL staff used their PE sessions to remind our teenagers how important it is to stay safe around our rivers, encouraging them to make rescues and practise treading water.  The secondary school were the drowned boys attended, have been attending water safety sessions, at The Sands Centre with 300 free spaces, to gain the skills that would help in an emergency.  This is an ongoing programme.

Carlisle Primary School Swim Programme using both Trinity Pool, (approximately 350 children) and The Sands Centre with near 600 children, and Better Swim School totalling a little over 2000 for both centres, spent the week focusing on Water safety.

All these children learnt how to make safe rescues if they saw that someone had fell into water and how to keep safe if it was them that fell into the water, discussing cold water shock and what it might be.  Some Development classes also had the opportunity to experience swimming in rough water by making rapids with floats.   Others escaped a capsized inflatable boat and had to swim to safety, all while wearing clothing.

Outside of the swimming pool, we attended primary school assemblies to highlight the dangers of open water. Typically these have been infant groups who are just starting their swimming journey and are unaware of any dangers.  We have been discussing the best places to enjoy the nice weather and what dangers might be hiding is and around some of our rivers and beaches with the help of pictures.  The children have really enjoyed these sessions.