RLSS UK calls on leisure sector to back Drowning Prevention Week 2026 following half-term drownings
The countdown is on to the Royal Life Saving Society UK’s (RLSS UK) flagship national water safety campaign, Drowning Prevention Week, with new resources for teenagers, one of the groups most at risk of accidental drowning.
The campaign, now in its 13th year, follows the tragic half-term heatwave, where 12 children and five adults drowned in just one week. Running from 13-20 June 2026, the campaign focuses on the Water Safety Code, which is designed to help people make safer decisions in, on and around water. By encouraging individuals to stop and think, stay together, float if they fall in, and call 999, RLSS UK aims to equip children, and their parents and carers, with practical, memorable knowledge and skills that can save lives.
RLSS UK’s new Ambassador, Tom Dean MBE, triple Olympic swimming champion and founder of Tom Dean Swim School, is keen to ensure water safety knowledge and self-rescue skills are integrated into swimming lessons.
Dean, who strongly believes “all children should have the opportunity to learn lifesaving water safety skills”, will help the campaign by presenting a major water safety education event for 700 schoolchildren in Maidenhead and by speaking at the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Water Safety Education to encourage the Government to provide consistent swimming and water safety education for all.
This year, RLSS UK has developed a range of materials to specifically resonate with male teenagers, after the latest figures from the National Child Mortality Database (NCMD) show that 13 to 17-year-olds are among the highest risk of accidental drowning. Leisure operators can access these materials alongside a wide range of other free campaign resources, including posters, digital assets, lesson plans, and interactive activities, available on the RLSS UK website.
“Drowning Prevention Week is a collective effort. As the countdown to summer begins, we urge leisure operators to help us reach more communities than ever and move closer to our vision of communities free from drowning.”
Drowning is one of the leading causes of accidental death in the UK, and many incidents are preventable with the right knowledge and awareness. Now in its second decade, the annual campaign engages more than 1,000 leisure operators and swimming pools across the UK and Ireland who come together to deliver free water safety education to children and young people ahead of the summer holidays. This is historically the period with the highest number of drowning fatalities, according to data from the UK Water Incident Database (WAID).
Driven by a vision to create communities free from drowning, the campaign educates young people, engages families and communities and shares expert guidance on how to stay safe in, on and around water. In 2025 alone, Drowning Prevention Week reached more than 2.3 million children, highlighting the initiative’s scale and impact.
Leisure and swimming pool operators are key to the campaign’s success. As trusted community hubs, they play a vital role in introducing children, young people and their families to water safety skills.
RLSS UK is promoting the wide range of activities taking place during Drowning Prevention Week in lifesaving clubs, leisure centres, swim schools, sports clubs and more across the UK and Ireland.
The campaign not only supports life-saving education but also helps operators engage new audiences and strengthen their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) commitments. For many operators, it’s also an opportunity to build stronger relationships with local schools and community organisations.
“Our mission is to ensure everyone in our communities has the opportunity to learn how to swim and become safe in and around water. We use Drowning Prevention Week as an opportunity to get into schools and deliver water safety assemblies ahead of the summer holidays. In addition, all our swimming lessons during that week have a water safety focus.”
Incorporating water safety into swimming lessons is another key approach. Throughout the week, instructors can deliver focused sessions using RLSS UK’s lesson plans and teaching resources, ensuring consistent and impactful messaging across all age groups.
Beyond the pool, facilities can host community events such as water safety workshops, Rookie Lifeguard taster sessions, and family activity days. Promotions, discounts and offers on lessons and programmes can also help drive participation, while competitions and fundraising events can raise awareness and attract local media attention.
