Coral Reef Waterworld’s Drowning Prevention Week debut engages over 700 families in lifesaving skills

Coral Reef Waterworld, a popular waterpark in Bracknell, Berkshire, participated for the first time last summer in the Royal Life Saving Society UK's (RLSS UK's) Drowning Prevention Week 2024, with incredible results. 

Managed by leading leisure operator Everyone Active in partnership with Bracknell Forest Council, Coral Reef was part of a nationwide initiative that saw 140 Everyone Active-managed leisure centres with pools engage in RLSS UK's annual water safety campaign – Drowning Prevention Week (DPW). During the week, Everyone Active provided crucial water safety information to over 200,000 children, with Coral Reef playing a pivotal role in the campaign. 

To maximise community engagement and impact, the centre combined in-school workshops with a hands-on evening event, both offered for free. This was the first time Coral Reef staff had delivered educational content directly to local primary schools. Targeting year 5 and 6 students from Binfield Primary School and St. Margaret Clitherow Catholic Primary School, RLSS UK instructors Will Vasey and Joseph Cooke used RLSS UK's Water Smart resources and Save a Child's Life materials to deliver comprehensive water safety education. The interactive sessions included water safety awareness, hazard recognition and emergency response techniques. 

"It was incredible to see how engaged the students were. They absorbed all the crucial information about recognising dangerous waters and responding to emergencies with incredible enthusiasm," said Vasey. 

Coral Reef's DPW activities culminated with an evening event at the centre, hosting over 700 students and their families and offering a blend of fun and practical water safety education. Attendees participated in various activities, including retrieving a sinkable mannequin, CPR and first aid practice, and throw rope and reach pole exercises. Lifeguards demonstrated rescue board rescues and explained the various rescue tools they use. The children and their families also enjoyed free access to the waterpark's pools and slides for an enjoyable and educational experience. 

"The family night was absolutely incredible. With over 700 attendees, it was the perfect way to reinforce the lessons from the previous week. Our goal was to make learning about water hazards and lifesaving skills as engaging and hands-on as possible," says Craig Flippance, General Manager at Coral Reef Waterworld. 

"Having good water safety awareness from a young age is absolutely essential. The more interactive and memorable we can make that education, the better prepared these children will be to stay safe around any body of water for life."  

Coral Reef's DPW activities helped to develop stronger ties with the local community and fostered a sense of accomplishment and teamwork among staff members. Many team members reported deep satisfaction from engaging directly with the children and their families. The various activities kept the work dynamic and engaging, and the team appreciated the positive feedback from the school pupils, their teachers, and their parents, feeling that their efforts were truly valued. 

Following the success of its DPW debut, Coral Reef Waterworld plans to expand its water safety outreach in the coming years, engaging with more local schools and increasing the number of workshops offered. 

"We recognise the critical importance of water safety education and are proud to support RLSS UK's campaign to introduce water safety into national curriculums. Through Drowning Prevention Week, we aim to encourage children of all ages to engage with water safety, know what dangers to look out for, how to prepare to stay safe, and how to react should they or others get into trouble in or around water. This initiative helps us engage with new audiences and serves our communities in a meaningful and potentially life-saving way," says Flippance. 

"Our participation in Drowning Prevention Week is part of Everyone Active's ongoing partnership with RLSS UK. We're committed to promoting water safety, not just as an enjoyable activity, but for crucial life skills that could one day save lives," added Flippance. 

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