Mansfield-born Olympian Becky Adlington has put the focus on water safety in support of Drowning Prevention Week.

swim! co-founded by Becky, has launched Lifesaving Week, which is dedicated to promoting water safety and drowning prevention.

Taking place from 17th to 24th June, swim! Lifesaving Week aims to spread the message, educate, and continue the focus on water safety, aligning with the objectives of Drowning Prevention Week.

Drowning Prevention Week, established by the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), is a national campaign aimed at raising awareness about water safety and preventing drowning incidents. swim! Lifesaving Week is a collaborative effort by swim! to contribute to this important cause and amplify the message of water safety across the United Kingdom.

Research conducted by swim! across UK schools revealed that 46% of respondents believe that swimming 25 metres on either their front or back is a sufficient level of swimming ability. However, swim! and Swim England guidelines recommend a higher level of competence, including swimming at least 100 metres without stopping, treading water, and experiencing swimming in clothes.

When it comes to public perception, an overwhelming 97% of respondents deemed learning how to swim of the highest importance, acknowledging its contribution to the development of essential life skills. However, the survey also uncovered significant barriers to swimming education, including limited school term availability (46%) and insufficient water safety coverage (27%) in schools.

As a leading advocate for water safety, Becky is committed to preventing drowning incidents by promoting swimming education and raising awareness about water safety measures.

With a strong belief that every child should be able to swim 25 metres before leaving primary school, swim! has dedicated itself to providing premium bespoke facilities and highly trained swimming teachers across the country.

As part of swim! Lifesaving Week, swim! is partnering with LearnLive for a special broadcast called “The BIG swim,” in collaboration with the JD Foundation.

This engaging program will reach thousands of primary schools across the UK, providing an opportunity to discuss water safety and educate children about the importance of swimming. “The BIG swim” will be broadcasted on the LearnLive channel on 22nd June at 11am, encouraging widespread participation and knowledge sharing.

In addition to the broadcast, swim! will visit 6,000 children during the week, delivering face-to-face water safety assemblies with an Olympian delivering that assembly.

Becky said: “We believe that swimming should be a fun and enjoyable journey for all swimmers, by teaching children how to swim at a young age, we hope to instil in each child the confidence and skills they need to stay safe in and around water for the rest of their lives. Our goal is to provide a supportive and enriching environment where swimmers can thrive and develop essential life skills.”