Swim Safe

Why is Swim Safe needed?

Every year, RNLI lifeguards race to the rescue of children and adults who find themselves in difficulty in and near the water.

In 2013, Swim England (the national governing body for swimming in England) and the RNLI (the charity that saves lives at sea) launched Swim Safe to help children learn how to stay safe in and around open water before they might need to be rescued.

Swim England and the RNLI work closely with Swim Wales and a range of local delivery partners to make Swim Safe available to as many children as possible, whether they live by the coast, inland and in our cities.

Since launching with a single site in 2013, Swim Safe has grown to include more than 30 sites across England, Scotland, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. 

We'd love to run it in more locations, so please get in touch if you would like to help us deliver Swim Safe.

What’s included?

Children get to enjoy a fun, structured swimming session at a choice of open water locations – and learn all about how to stay safe in the water and what to do if something goes wrong. 

The 60-minute session is run by qualified instructors and lifeguards, and includes:

• Open water safety advice provided on land.
• Up to 30 minutes in-water tuition with qualified instructors.
• All the right kit for swimming outdoors (including swimming hats, wetsuits, and flotation equipment).

We want all children to have access to this training, so all Swim Safe sessions are free.

Who can attend?

Swim Safe is open to children aged 7-14. We provide both public access and school sessions.

To take part, they must be able to swim a minimum of 25 metres. This is usually achieved around Stage 4 of Swim England's Learn to Swim Pathway.

A parent or guardian must be present throughout the session. 

To book a session with Swim Safe click here.