Swim Safe, run in partnership by the RNLI and Swim Wales is now in full swing after sessions started last Saturday, June 15. Children are taught vital water safety skills for free, as the Swim Safe programme will visit several locations across Wales this summer.

Children can attend Swim Safe sessions on Tenby South Beach on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, July 26, 27 and 28, this summer. Booking for the sessions is now open online and is free of charge, just visit swimsafe.org.uk/locations.

The fun, free, hour-long sessions are run by qualified instructors, lifeguards and volunteers. Swim Safe teaches young people how to swim safely outdoors and what to do if they, or someone else, get into difficulty in the water.

Hope Filby, Swim Wales’ Swim Safe co-ordinator, said “Children love swimming outdoors, but it’s very different to swimming in a pool, where most children learn to swim. It’s essential children learn about open water safety - where it is safe to swim, how to stay safe and what to do if they get into difficulty in the water.

“We want all children to have access to this training, so all Swim Safe sessions are funded by the RNLI and Swim Wales partnership and so are completely free of charge. To take part, children must be aged between seven and 14 and able to swim 25 metres unaided.”

All the kit needed to take part, including wetsuits, swim hats and flotation equipment, is provided for each child during the sessions. Children only need to bring their swimsuit a suitable pair of shoes and a towel. Each session gives children:

Up to 30 minutes of practical, in-water tuition led by qualified instructors; Essential open water safety advice

The programme aims to support the UK Drowning Prevention Strategy’s aim of reducing accidental drowning by 50 per cent by 2026, to which Swim Wales and the RNLI are committed as members of the National Water Safety Forum.