Don't Drink and Drown campaign launched amid review on Severn safety
A life-saving charity is launching a water safety campaign aimed at students amid a review on safety measures along the River Severn.
The Royal Life Saving Society's (RLSS) annual week-long Don’t Drink and Drown campaign launches on September 12, aiming to educate students on water safety as thousands head off to start their first year at university.
A report to Shropshire councillors in June identified 41 river deaths in the county since 2002.
Many of the deaths occurred over the weekend and involved younger people, with about three quarters of them male.
Lee Heard, charity director at RLSS UK, said: "Unfortunately in recent years we have seen cases of young people walking home after a night of drinking, and for various reasons getting too close to the edge and ending up in the water.
"At this time of year, the water is colder than it looks and cold water shock is a significant factor, and paired with alcohol numbing senses, limiting muscle ability and slowing down reactions, it makes it extremely difficult to be able to swim and self-rescue.
"As we see, mainly young men, walking home alone, sadly in these cases there is nobody around to help, we see nights out turn into tragedies.”
In a sample of UK accidental drowning cases analysed by RLSS, at least half of those aged 16-25 who lost their lives were students.
As a result, the charity is urging students to familiarise themselves with their new surroundings, especially if there is a body of water within the town or city they are moving to.
Lee continued: "We have seen tragic stories in the past where students have been excited for a new adventure in a new city and should have been enjoying their first few weeks at university but sadly their night did not end how it should have."
Three in four of these accidental drowning victims were alone. The campaign aims to speak to students and encourage them to, after a night out, be responsible for their friends, be a mate, and ensure they return home safely.
Shropshire Council's review into river safety on the Severn is ongoing after a number of tragedies in the river earlier this year, and will consider introducing barriers and CCTV.
The body of 21-year-old Nathan Fleetwood was found in April after a wide-ranging search of the river in Shrewsbury. He had last been seen on March 27.
Toby Jones, aged 31, died in hospital after getting into difficulty in the river on April 3.
