‘Swim Safe’ with the RNLI this September

Children aged 7-14 are invited to learn vital water safety skills through the RNLI’s Swim Safe programme when it visits the Share Centre in Lisnaskea, Co Fermanagh.

The free, hour-long sessions on September 14 and 15 can take up twenty children per session; children must be able to swim 25 metres unaided.

Organised by qualified swimming instructors and lifeguards supported by volunteers, the sessions involve 30 minutes of practical, in-water tuition; open-water safety advice – what to do if they or someone gets into difficulty in the water.  Each child will also receive a Swim Safe take-home bag.

All required kit will be provided: wetsuits, swim hats and flotation equipment. Children should bring a swimsuit and towel.

RNLI Swim Safe Manager Ashley Jones explains that swimming outdoors is very different to swimming in the pool where most children learn to swim:

“It’s essential children learn about open-water safety – where it is safe to swim, how to stay safe and what to do if they get into difficulty in the water.

“We want all children to have access to this training, so all Swim Safe sessions are funded by the RNLI and Swim England partnership and so are completely free-of-charge.”

This is the first year Swim Safe if being run on inland waters in Northern Ireland. In 2018, over 20,000 children participated in a Swim Safe session in the UK.