Brio is encouraging young people to stay safe around water through hands-on water safety workshops across Brio sites in collaboration with Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Youth Service.
The sessions are designed to support young people aged 11-19 and particularly those who may miss out on regular swimming opportunities. Scheduled to take place throughout August, these sessions will provide practical guidance on essential water safety skills, including basic swimming techniques, recognising hazards, and knowing how to respond in an emergency.
Following a number of local water-related incidents across Cheshire, Brio hopes to increase awareness of the dangers of open water by sharing these important messages. By understanding the risks and following basic water safety guidance, more young people and families can enjoy the water safely.
Yvonne Parry, Aquatics Officer at Brio who led the session states:
“Water safety is a life skill, not just a swimming skill. With the number of tragic water-related fatalities we’ve seen this year, it has never been more important to equip people with the knowledge and confidence to recognise hazards, make safe decisions, and know what to do in an emergency. If even one person walks away from this session better prepared to keep themselves or someone else safe, then it will have made a real difference.”
Katarina Chapman, youth worker said: “We marry what Yvonne says about being a crucial life skill and further reinforce our awareness of water safety. We have been promoting the need to be safe around open waters”.
Emily [pictured] who attended the water safety workshop said: “The water safety workshop was really fun, enjoyable, and educational”.
Brio is encouraging everyone to refresh their water safety knowledge, reminding residents that practising essential swimming and safety skills can be as simple as visiting their local pool. To support this, Brio has also produced an easy-to-follow two-minute video for adults and children, breaking down these methods which echo the Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s (RNLI) ‘Float To Live’ guidance. Click here to view the YouTube video
Visit the RNLI and Swim England website for more drowning prevention tips.
Discover our swimming lessons on the Brio Website.
