Swansea Launch For Don’t Drink And Drown Campaign
A campaign is warning people about the dangers of drinking too much alcohol close to areas of water.
The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS) ‘Don’t Drink and Drown’ campaign is being rolled out across Swansea this week, with visits to thousands of students and busy city centre nightspots.
It’s part of an-going campaign across the UK.
Partners supporting the campaign in Swansea include RLSS UK the Drowning Prevention Charity, Swansea University, South Wales Police, the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, their student unions, Swansea Council, Drugaid Swansea and the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service.
A ‘Don’t Drink and Drown’ campaign information stand will be set up at Swansea University’s Singleton campus on Monday April 25, Swansea University’s bay campus on Tuesday April 26 and the University of Wales Trinity Saint David campus on Wednesday April 27. Campaign beer mats and posters will be distributed.
Campaign representatives will then visit nightspots including Sin City on Dilwyn Street and Revolution on Wind Street during the evenings of Wednesday April 27 and Thursday April 28, where they’ll chat with people in queues and hand out campaign wristbands.
Di Steer, RLSS UK Chief Executive, said: “People die each year after entering the water with alcohol in their bloodstream, either deliberately or completely by accident. A third of all 18 to 21-year-old drowning victims have alcohol in their bloodstream. Drinking near or in water can be dangerous and a deadly cocktail. Alcohol can seriously impede your ability to survive in water.
“At RLSS UK we work hard to inform and educate people of the dangers and advise the public to never go into water when you have been drinking and always take care and be aware if you are near water.
“When walking home from a night out, avoid routes that are alongside water, particularly in the darkness, and always stay with and look out for your friends.
“This multi-agency partnership in Swansea will warn people to steer clear of walking by or entering water when under the influence of alcohol and will give vital awareness to stay safe when they are on nights out. It will potentially save lives.”
Lee Trundle, Swansea City Club Ambassador, is also backing the campaign. He said: “It’s a fantastic campaign that aims to tackle a serious issue in Swansea. It’s great for the Swans Community Trust to get fully behind it and I’m proud to show my support.”
RLSS figures show an average of 400 people drown every year in the UK. The figures also show a quarter of all adult drowning victims have had alcohol in their bloodstreams.
A 2016 Public Health Wales report into child and young people drowning fatalities in Wales showed that 33% involved alcohol.
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