The Swimming Teachers’ Association (STA) and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) are pleased to announce a new partnership, which will be focused on promoting and aligning key messages around water safety, and highlighting the importance of the ‘Float to Live’ campaign.

Every year in the UK, around 600 people tragically drown with an even greater number suffering life-changing injuries and long-term health impacts. The latest figures from 2023, show there were 659 water-related fatalities in the UK from all recorded causes – above the 3-year average. Of these, there were 236 accidental fatalities (63% inland and 37% coastal).

Crucially, accidental drownings are largely preventable through measures such as teaching swimming skills and water safety education – and strengthened collaboration between organisations involved in water safety.

This is why this collaboration announcement today is significant, because it brings together two leading charitable organisations who have a shared commitment to preventing accidental drownings and increasing public awareness of water safety.

Through this collaboration, STA and the RNLI will work closely to integrate and reinforce key safety messages across their respective training programmes and educational initiatives, ensuring more people have the knowledge and skills to stay safe in and around water.

One of the central focuses of this collaboration will be to expand the reach of the RNLI’s ‘Float to Live’ campaign, which teaches people how to react if they find themselves in difficulty in the water. The advice urges people to remember Float to Live; lie back in the water, extend your arms and legs and try to relax as best you can until you get control of your breathing.

By embedding RNLI’s vital lifesaving message into STA’s water safety educational programmes, including during International Learn to Swim Week (ILSW) in May, both organisations aim to reach more individuals and equip them with the knowledge and the skills to stay safe in and around water – and to know what to do in an emergency situation.

Dave Candler, CEO of STA, said:

“We are proud to work with the RNLI to strengthen water safety education and ensure essential lifesaving skills reach as many people as possible. By working together and delivering a consistent message, we can educate more people and make a meaningful impact in reducing accidental drownings.”

Sam Hughes, RNLI National Water Safety Partner, added: “Collaboration is key to saving lives, and we are excited to join forces with STA to promote water safety education. By aligning our key messages and sharing expertise, we can equip even more people with the skills they need to stay safe in the water.”

Through joint initiatives, educational resources, and community outreach, this collaboration will strengthen efforts to embed crucial water safety knowledge in schools, swimming lessons, and public awareness campaigns across the UK.