South West Water has made a cash donation to a safe swimming programme to help children learn to swim safely this summer.
It has given £11,250 to the RNLI and Swim England Swim Safe scheme which teaches children from seven to 14 how to swim safely in open water.
The water company has supported the RNLI since 2015 because the charity enables residents and visitors to safely enjoy the region’s beaches.
The donation will enable 1,320 children to participate in a free hour-long session and learn what to do if something goes wrong.
The programme aims to support the UK Drowning Prevention Strategy to reduce accidental drowning by 50 per cent by 2026.
Dan Jones at South West Water, who looks after the company’s charitable partnerships, said: “Transforming our region’s bathing waters from polluted seas 25 years ago to some of the finest beaches in Europe today has been a key priority for South West Water for over two decades.
“The RNLI enables residents and visitors to enjoy many of our region’s beautiful beaches safely, so we are delighted to continue to support the charity’s important work again this year.”
Bill Williams, Swim Safe site co-ordinator, said: “Our teaching staff make each lesson such a fun way to learn and thanks to some great donations, we can deliver the programme to seven to 14-year-olds free of charge. Our staff and volunteers are fantastic folk and keep the project running very smoothly.”
For more information about Swim Safe, and to book your child’s free place, visit swimsafe.org.uk
