9 hours ago
Plea for action after a number of heart-breaking tragedies in Bolton
Bolton MP Phil Brickell has called for more awareness to combat deaths in the region's waterways to coincide with Drowning Prevention Week.
Speaking in a parliamentary debate about water safety education, the Bolton West MP cited two cases in the town where youngsters have lost their lives.
A whitewater kayaker in his spare time, Mr Brickell highlighted the 2014 death of Donna Greenall in Rivington Reservoir, and 17-year-old Joseph Hold who died after losing control of his canoe on the River Croal last April.
READ MORE: Coroner urges government to act after man drowns at open water swimming event
Little Lever parents pay tribute to son who died aged 17
'We must learn from these incidents to prevent similar tragedies from happening again.
'With that in mind, I will make the case for further investment in education to unlock the immense potential of safely being in, on or near water.
'After all, we owe it to Donna, Joseph and everyone who has lost their lives to drowning, or who has lost loved ones, to continue making improvements to water safety awareness.'
The MP questioned why the UK has national strategies in place for road safety, fire safety and other public health issues, but no coherent plan for tackling water safety.
According to the National Water Safety Forum (NWSF), around 400 people drown in the UK's waters every year, whether that be in lakes, rivers, reservoirs, swimming pools or the sea.
The NWSF say this is a higher figure than cycling deaths on the road or those who die in house fires.
'There are already some brilliant campaigns that show how simple positive messaging, positioned in the right places, can have a demonstrable impact in reducing incidents.
'In particular, I commend to colleagues the PaddleSafe campaign, run jointly by Paddle UK and the RNLI, as a good example of what can be done.
'That summer safety initiative contains five key messages to raise awareness of how to prepare for any type of paddling and to stay safe on any kind of water.
'Those messages are simple and easy to remember: Always wear a buoyancy aid. Tell someone where you're going. Carry a mobile phone. Check the weather. Know your limits.'
The debate came the day after the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) launched its own five-year strategy to help slash the number of drownings.
Focusing on 'Engagement, Education and Expertise', the scheme hopes to promote people enjoying their time in the water safely.
Simmy Akhtar, the organisation's new CEO said: 'RLSS UK is fortunate to have an exceptional network of dedicated and passionate stakeholders, including members, volunteers, partners, lifesavers, lifeguards, the leisure industry, and our committed staff and trustees.
'We hope the new framework inspires and motivates our new and existing supporters and guides our operations as we enter this new phase in the Society's impressive history, which spans over 130 years.'
