This week we had a special visit from Katie Read, a serving member of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) as part of the organisation’s ongoing campaign to educate young people about water safety.
Katie gave a demonstration of the safety equipment used by their lifeboat crews, including life jackets, throw ropes and flares. Children were given the opportunity to try on the life jackets and learn how to put them on correctly.
The presentation also included an introduction to the work of the RNLI and what it takes to be a volunteer lifeboat crew member. This was highlighted by Katie sharing her own experience of being a crew member for many years and responding to different emergencies.
Katie used interactive displays to engage the children in fun and informative activities. The children were shown how to spot the signs of someone in trouble at sea and were taught what to do in an emergency situation.
“It’s vital that young people understand the dangers of the sea, rivers and canals and how to be aware when enjoying them. By educating young people, we can help them to stay safe, make good decisions and hopefully raise awareness of our charity and the work we do,” .
The RNLI’s visit to us to promote water safety awareness among young people is part of its aims to educate as many young people as possible, in the hope of reducing the number of water-related accidents and fatalities.
“It was a fantastic visit, and the children were engaged throughout. We appreciate the time and effort that Katie put into the presentation. With her help, our children are now better informed on the importance of being safe in the water and how to stay safe. It was an extremely valuable experience as it highlighted the importance of water safety while also educating and inspiring our children to the selfless acts needed to become involved in helping those in need.