The National Launch of a vital life-saving scheme will be taking place in Great Yarmouth on 4th June.

Over 1,500 children will be taught vital water safety skills at schools and leisure centres throughout June and July as part of the Amateur Swimming Association’s (ASA) educational and water safety awareness campaign Get Safe 4 Summer.
The ASA will be working in partnership with the Royal Life Saving Society to deliver important water safety messages and to highlight that swimming is the only sport that can save your life.

The National Launch will take place at the Marina Centre in Great Yarmouth, beginning at 9.30 am, and will include a visit from Olympic swimmer James Hickman.

The Get Safe 4 Summer events will teach children all the important things they need to know when visiting coastal and inland waters over the summer holidays, from how they can spot the dangers themselves to how to act in an emergency. 

This year the campaign has also launched a new website – www.getsafe4summer.org – which contains information about regional and local events, facts and figures and how to host a Get Safe 4 Summer event.

Besides the National Launch, an event is also scheduled to take place in Harwich, Essex on 26th June

On average, one person drowns in the UK every 17 hours and drowning is still the third highest cause of accidental death amongst children with most occurring in inland waters such as rivers, lakes and ponds. Get Safe 4 Summer delivers important water safety messages for children to take with them.

ASA Chief Executive David Sparkes said: “The ability to recognise dangers and a knowledge of water safety is just as important as being able to swim. As the summer holidays approach the ASA’s Get Safe 4 Summer Campaign is all about raising awareness that swimming in open water such as lakes, rivers, canals and the sea is very different from the pool. We want everyone to be able to enjoy the water but in a safe and sensible way.”