Tuesday, 2nd February 2016
We're backing a petition for drowning prevention to be taught to schoolchildren as part of the national curriculum.
As Pendle’s leading provider of health, well-being and safety, Pendle Leisure Trust is deeply invested in the local community’s welfare, encouraging and educating local residents on the importance and dangers of swimming as a sport and as a lifesaving tool, therefore it is lending its full support to this petition.
The petition has been set up by Rebecca Ramsey whose 13-year-old son Dylan died in open water in 2011. She said: “This petition is for all those lives that have been lost in open water. My son lost his life while swimming in open water. He was a good swimmer, very fit and athletic, but it still took his life. I believe had my son known the dangers, he, like so many others, would still be with us.”
Pendle Leisure Trust's Training Manager, Karen Bracewell, said: “I am an open water swimmer and know the dangers of Cold Water Shock. During a swim at Salford Keys, I got cramp in both legs, so I fully understand the difficulties swimmers can get into.”
Every year Pendle Leisure Trust gets involved with Drowning Prevention Week, working with the local emergency services to educate children on the dangers of water.
Karen added: “I met Rebecca Ramsey and she attended a meeting with the fire, police, ASA and our centres to see if we could do more – hence the reason we get the fantastic support from the emergency services during Drowning Prevention Week.”
At Pendle Leisure Trust we take safety very seriously and provides swimming lessons for children and adults at each of its three centres – Pendle Wavelengths, Nelson; Pendle Leisure Centre, Colne and West Craven Sports Centre, Barnoldswick.
The Trust’s in-house training provider, Pinpoint Training, provides Rookie Lifeguard courses, offering everyone once they have learned to swim, the option to learn lifesaving skills.
So far the petition has a total of 1,800 signatures. The Government will only respond to a petition with 10,000 signatures and a petition will only be considered for debate in Parliament with 100,000 signatures. A petition can only last six months, so Rebecca has until March 16th to get as many signatures as possible.
She added: “I now understand the dangers of swimming in open water. It cost me my precious son Dylan to learn. I personally think education and awareness could have saved my son`s life and the lives of so many others.
“I believe education is the key to reducing deaths in open water. So many people believe being able to swim is enough and don`t understand the actual dangers."