Outdoors The Great

Time to learn about lifesaving with the Royal Life-Saving Society

The Royal Life-Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) are calling on parents to ensure that their children have the chance to learn lifesaving skills as part of their National Life-saving Academy.

The awards are a suite of progressive awards that teach personal survival, first aid, CPR, rescue, and fitness skills to anyone aged 12 years and over. Their aim is to teach candidates how to stay safe around water and how to safely assist others who may have gotten into difficulty in both aquatic and non-aquatic situations.

Statistics from RLSS UK show that around two-thirds of children who drown are cited as swimmers, the NLA can not only ensure that children feel confident with their swimming ability, but also ensure that in different environments, not just a warm swimming pool, they would have the skills and knowledge to be able to remain safe, and keep others safe.

Life-savers can take awards in either beach, open water or pool, or all three if they wish, and progress through the award from the bronze certificate, to the bronze star, before obtaining their bronze medallion, a prestigious award for life-savers.

There is then the opportunity to obtain a distinction award for those who are able to achieve any of the following: gain a life-saving instructor award; undertake voluntary service to the life-saving community; or undertake work experience in the leisure sector.

The skills that can be learnt when taking the National Life-saving Academy award are vital to ensure that future life-savers have the necessary knowledge to help others to enjoy water safely.

The programme has also been endorsed by Paralympic Champion Ellie Robinson MBE, and Olympian and Sports Scientist Professor Greg Whyte OBE.

To find out more, visit rlss.org.uk/find-a-club to find a life-saving club in your area.