Date: 12th July, 2019
Last week (1-7 July) 450 pupils from various local schools took part in the national Swim Safe and Junior FireFit session held on Weymouth Beach.
Staff from Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) along with the RNLI and Weymouth Town Council ran a week of water safety and fitness sessions for children aged 7-14 to educate them on how to stay safe in and around open water.
During the two-hour session, pupils also took part in the Junior FireFit which involved a series of exercises to help promote healthy choices and teamwork, inspired by the role of firefighters.
Tess Cross, Education Coordinator for DWFRS said “Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service are passionate about changing and saving lives. By working with partners to deliver Swim Safe and elements of the Junior Firefit programme we are helping local children of Weymouth understand how to stay safe whilst still enjoying their local area, and what to do if they see others in danger. We were delighted with the enthusiasm of the children to take part in the activities and learn important safety messages in a fun, engaging and memorable way.”
Firefighter Ann Marsh said “I feel really proud to have been able to deliver Swim Safe and Junior Fire Fit to 450 children in my home town thanks to the great partnership working between Weymouth Town Council, Swim Safe (Swim England and RNLI) and the fire service. Teaching children to be safe around open water is so important. The FireFit sessions were so well received, it was the first time they’d been done on the beach and it was fantastic addition to the session.”
Ashley Jones, Swim Safe Manager for the RNLI said “Swim England and the RNLI were delighted that our Swim Safe programme was delivered in Weymouth for the 3rd year running. The success of Swim Safe relies on local partners, it was fantastic to have the support of Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service as well as Dorset Community Foundation, Weymouth Town Council, RNLI staff volunteering and many others including the schools that attended. We’re really looking forward to seeing more young people have the opportunity to experience the joys and learn about the danger of open water in the future.”