THE CREATION of four jobs specifically aimed at reducing drowning incidents has been supported by Redditch’s MP.
Karen Lumley spoke out after The Royal Life Saving Society UK announced it was appointing community drowning prevention co-ordinators in a bid to save more lives.
Mrs Lumley is vice-chair of an all party Parliamentary group for water safety and drowning prevention and has been working with the charity since the tragic death of Brockhill teenager Richard Fellows last year.
She said the news was ‘fantastic’, adding: “These roles will mean the charity’s messages reach into communities further and I believe the move will make a real difference in its aim of reducing the number of people who lose their lives to drowning each year.”
Charity bosses said one way of reducing incidents was to educate at a local level and the new community drowning prevention co-ordinators would cover the UK and Ireland, working alongside 10,000 volunteers.
Chief executive officer Di Steer said: “Drowning is a serious social issue as, tragically, the recent spate of students drowning highlights further.
“In their unique roles, our community drowning prevention co-ordinators will strive to work with and serve communities at a local level to drive home our water safety
messages and education.
“This proactive approach will complement our work with other national and local organisations in the effort to save as many lives as possible – one more accidental drowning is one too many.”
