Swansea pupils will join top Paralympic swimmer David Roberts to take part in the vital life-saving scheme Get Safe 4 Summer at their local pool tomorrow.

Around 90 children from Cadle Primary School will be making a splash at the latest in the series of regional water safety awareness events Get Safe 4 Summer, run by the asa (the national governing body involved in every component of swimming), in partnership with the Royal Life Saving Society.

The fun packed day is being held at Penlan Leisure Centre on Tuesday 22nd July 2008 with the aim of delivering important water safety messages and to highlight that swimming is the only sport that can save your life.

Roberts, who won four gold medals at both the Paralympics in Athens 2004 and the IPC World Championships in Durban 2006, will join the children for an action-packed few hours in the water with a host of fun and educational events including rookie lifeguard and personal survival skills, snorkelling and body boarding.  On dry land there will also be a number of activities including a healthy eating quiz, first aid and resuscitation. 

Roberts said: “We read in the newspapers far too often about kids drowning in the back garden or on holiday so this is a brilliant campaign to promote important water safety messages.  Being in the water is so much fun and it can be safe, as long as everyone follows the rules.”

Christine George, Swimming Co-ordinator at City and County of Swansea said: “I hope the day will be an enjoyable experience that will enthuse the children of Cadle Primary School to learn all of the the vital water safety skills they need and also to get them more involved in swimming and encourage them to attend their local pool regularly.”

The Get Safe 4 Summer campaign teaches children all the important things they need to know when visiting coastal and inland waters over the summer holidays, from how they can spot the dangers themselves to how to act in an emergency. 

This year the campaign has also launched a new website – www.getsafe4summer.org – which contains information about regional and local events, facts and figures and how to host a Get Safe 4 Summer event.

On average, one person drowns in the UK every 17 hours and drowning is still the third highest cause of accidental death amongst children with most occurring in inland waters such as rivers, lakes and ponds. Get Safe 4 Summer delivers important water safety messages for children to take with them.

The asa Chief Executive David Sparkes said: “The ability to recognise dangers and a knowledge of water safety is just as important as being able to swim. As the summer holidays approach the asa’s Get Safe 4 Summer Campaign is all about raising awareness that swimming in open water such as lakes, rivers, canals and the sea is very different from the pool. We want everyone to be able to enjoy the water but in a safe and sensible way.”

Facts & Figures
· Every 17 hours someone in the UK drowns
· On average 450 - 500 people drown every year
· Drowning in this country is the 3rd highest cause of accidental death in children
· At least three quarters of drowning victims are male
· In 2005 75 children drowned whilst on holiday abroad
· Drowning locations:
Approx 20% of all drownings are at coastal locations
Approx 62% of all drownings are at inland waters - rivers, lakes, canals, reservoirs etc
The remaining 18% are roughly broken up as follows:
Home baths - 10%
Swimming pools - 4%
Garden ponds - 3%
Other - 1%
· The safest place to swim or bathe is a beach or swimming pool protected by qualified lifeguards
· Pre-school children are most at risk from the domestic environment: the bath, a garden pond or a water butt
· Older children are more vulnerable at open water sites, usually away from parental supervision.

-ENDS-

For more information contact the asa PR Assistant on 01509 632238 or email claire.freeman@swimming.org

The asa is the English National Governing Body for Swimming, Diving, Water Polo, Open Water, and Synchronised Swimming. It organises competition throughout England, establishes the Laws of the Sport and operates comprehensive certification and education programmes for Teachers, Coaches and Officials as well as its renowned Learn To Swim Awards scheme. The asa supports 1,220 affiliated swimming clubs through a National/Regional/County structure. The asa aims to ensure everybody has an opportunity to learn to swim.

About Speedo®
Synonymous with swimwear, the iconic brand celebrates 80 years of dominance creating revolutionary new technologies, designs and innovations.  In the 1920s Speedo® made history with the Racerback: the world’s first non-wool suit. In 2008 Speedo® redefines swimwear again with Fastskin® LZR RACER®  - the fastest and most technologically advanced swimsuit ever created; meanwhile designer collaborations with Comme des Garçons put Speedo® at the cutting edge of design. As the world’s leading swimwear brand, Speedo® is passionate about life in and around the water, supporting swimming from beginners through to elite level, including the phenomenal Michael Phelps.  Speedo® is owned by Pentland Brands and distributed in over 170 countries around the world; to find out more visit: www.speedo.com. SPEEDO, the ARROW device, FASTSKIN, LZR PULSE and LZR RACER are registered trademarks of Speedo Holdings B.V. The LZR RACER suit has worldwide design rights and patents pending.

Pupils from Southend Junior School in Northamptonshire will be making a splash with a Great Britain water polo player while learning life-saving skills that could stop them from drowning.

Around 70 pupils from the school will take part in the asa’s Get Safe 4 Summer Campaign at Splash Pool, Rushden this Friday 18th July, joined by water polo player Fran Leighton.

Get Safe 4 Summer, run by the asa in partnership with the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS), aims to deliver important water safety messages and highlight that swimming is the only sport that can save your life.

The children will take part in a number of activities in and out of the water including CPR, reach rescues and safe water entry and GB water polo player Fran Leighton, who won bronze at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester 2002 will be giving a demonstration of her skills before leading a fun water polo game.

Leighton said: “I have spent a large part of my life in the water and I know how much fun swimming and aquatic ball games can be if done properly. The problem is that when the hot summer weather gets here it is tempting to take a dip or play in places such as rivers or lakes which may not be as safe so it is important that children know how to assess the dangers.”

Chris Tye, Group Operations Manager at Cultural Community Partnerships who manage East Northamptonshire District Council’s leisure facilities said:  'With so much water in and around the East Northamptonshire District, it is vital that all children have a good understanding of water safety and that is just as important as being able to swim.  As the summer holidays approach the asa's Get Safe 4 Summer Campaign is all about raising awareness that swimming in open water such as lakes, rivers, canals and in the sea is very different from the pool.  We want everyone to be able to enjoy the water but in a safe and sensible way.'

The Get Safe 4 Summer campaign teaches children all the important things they need to know when visiting coastal and inland waters over the summer holidays, from how they can spot the dangers themselves to how to act in an emergency. 

This year the campaign has also launched a new website – www.getsafe4summer.org – which contains information about regional and local events, facts and figures and how to host a Get Safe 4 Summer event.

The asa Chief Executive David Sparkes said: “On average, one person drowns in the UK every 17 hours and drowning is still the third highest cause of accidental death amongst children, with most occurring in inland waters such as rivers, lakes and ponds. Get Safe 4 Summer delivers important water safety messages for children to take with them.”

Facts & Figures
· Every 17 hours someone in the UK drowns
· On average 450 - 500 people drown every year
· Drowning in this country is the 3rd highest cause of accidental death in children
· At least three quarters of drowning victims are male
· In 2005 75 children drowned whilst on holiday abroad
· Drowning locations:
Approx 20% of all drownings are at coastal locations
Approx 62% of all drownings are at inland waters - rivers, lakes, canals, reservoirs etc
The remaining 18% are roughly broken up as follows:
Home baths - 10%
Swimming pools - 4%
Garden ponds - 3%
Other - 1%
· The safest place to swim or bathe is a beach or swimming pool protected by qualified lifeguards
· Pre-school children are most at risk from the domestic environment: the bath, a garden pond or a water butt
· Older children are more vulnerable at open water sites, usually away from parental supervision.

-ENDS-

For more information contact the asa PR Assistant on 01509 632238 or email claire.freeman@swimming.org

The asa is the English National Governing Body for Swimming, Diving, Water Polo, Open Water, and Synchronised Swimming. It organises competition throughout England, establishes the Laws of the Sport and operates comprehensive certification and education programmes for Teachers, Coaches and Officials as well as its renowned Learn To Swim Awards scheme. The asa supports 1,220 affiliated swimming clubs through a National/Regional/County structure. The asa aims to ensure everybody has an opportunity to learn to swim.

About Speedo®
Synonymous with swimwear, the iconic brand celebrates 80 years of dominance creating revolutionary new technologies, designs and innovations.  In the 1920s Speedo® made history with the Racerback: the world’s first non-wool suit. In 2008 Speedo® redefines swimwear again with Fastskin® LZR RACER®  - the fastest and most technologically advanced swimsuit ever created; meanwhile designer collaborations with Comme des Garçons put Speedo® at the cutting edge of design. As the world’s leading swimwear brand, Speedo® is passionate about life in and around the water, supporting swimming from beginners through to elite level, including the phenomenal Michael Phelps.  Speedo® is owned by Pentland Brands and distributed in over 170 countries around the world; to find out more visit: www.speedo.com. SPEEDO, the ARROW device, FASTSKIN, LZR PULSE and LZR RACER are registered trademarks of Speedo Holdings B.V. The LZR RACER suit has worldwide design rights and patents pending.