GROUNDBREAKING GLL & RLSS UK PARTNERSHIP PUTS WATER SAFETY AT THE HEART OF SWIM LESSONS
A shared commitment to saving lives and creating communities free from drowning through swimming and water safety education.
A new partnership between charitable social enterprise leisure provider GLL and the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), promises to help communities enjoy water safely.
RLSS is a charity dedicated to the prevention of drowning and the promotion of water safety, as well as being the leader in lifesaving and lifeguarding training across the UK and Ireland.
As RLSS UK’s first Water Safety Education Partner, GLL – the UK’s largest provider of swimming lessons through its Better Swim School – will embed water safety messages into every lesson using its RLSS UK-endorsed national framework. This pioneering move will see all pupils, from toddlers and school-age children to adults, benefit from essential water safety knowledge and life-saving skills.
““This new partnership with RLSS UK reinforces GLL’s unwavering commitment to water safety and aligns seamlessly with the mission of our Better Swim School programme – the largest in the UK. ”
“Our goal is to ensure that every child in the communities we serve gains essential water safety skills. We believe that learning to swim is about far more than mastering a skill – it is about saving lives, preventing tragedies, and fostering stronger, safer communities.”
GLL offers 200,000 adults and children weekly lessons in more than 140 pools across the UK and is focused on upskilling over 2000 Swimming teachers to share water safety messaging and skills.
In the UK, 193 people lost their lives to drowning accidents in 2024 (*WAID Data 2024, National Water Safety Forum). Child drowning deaths in England have doubled since 2019/20, with 165 children tragically losing their lives over the past five years (*National Child Mortality Database – NCMD).
Yet many accidental drownings are preventable. Effective water safety education plays a vital role in helping people enjoy water safely and know how to respond if they find themselves in danger in or around water.
“The skill of swimming alone is not enough to keep someone safe in, on or around water. Water safety education is essential, and it must be accessible to everyone, regardless of background.”
“As our first water safety education partner, GLL will help us embed vital water safety knowledge and skills into swimming lessons for all ages.”
“Together, we want every swimmer to be capable, confident, and safe, and we will continue working to make that a reality.”