Water safety appeal issued ahead of Drowning Prevention Week

Published Thursday, 12th June 2025

Parents in Hartlepool are being urged to ensure their children have the knowledge and skills to stay safe in and around water.

Hartlepool Borough Council has issued the appeal ahead of Drowning Prevention Week 2025, a Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) UK campaign that will run from 14th-21st June.

Drowning Prevention Week is the charity’s biggest campaign of the year, targeting families, carers, teachers and instructors of children aged five-15 with the aim of educating them about water safety.

It offers a range of free online water safety resources which can be accessed at www.rlss.org.uk/DPW

The Council’s Active Hartlepool service is supporting the campaign by running a series of Swim Safe sessions for children aged seven-14. There will be sessions for schools from 23rd-27th June and four public sessions on Saturday 28th June. Places on the public sessions can be booked at https://swimsafe.org.uk/locations/hartlepool---seaton-carew-beach

In addition, swimming lessons held at Mill House Leisure Centre during Drowning Prevention Week as part of Active Hartlepool’s Learn to Swim programme will have a focus on water safety and survival skills.

The poolside will be decorated with beach flags and there will be a series of “spot the dangers” activities covering beaches, swimming pools, rivers, winter water safety and the home. Colouring in sheets and word searches on a water safety theme will be handed out to learners during the lessons and these will also be available for anyone to collect from reception. Parents can find out more about the Learn to Swim programme at www.activehartlepool.co.uk/learntoswim

Gemma Ptak, Hartlepool Borough Council’s Assistant Director – Preventative and Community Based Services, said: “Given Hartlepool’s location as a coastal town, it is particularly important that our children and young people are fully aware of the risks when in and around water.

“Drowning is preventable with a little awareness and knowledge, and the Swim Safe sessions and swimming lessons staged by Active Hartlepool are a great way of teaching children about water safety.”