Key activities of the forum include:
- Educational resources: The forum produces and distributes water safety lesson packs to schools and holiday clubs across Essex to teach young people key water safety messages.
- Water safety workshops: ECFRS, in conjunction with the forum, runs workshops at holiday activity and food clubs.
- Waterside Responder scheme: Partnering with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), the forum trains staff at waterside pubs and restaurants in how to use throw bags and respond to emergencies.
- Collaborative campaigns: Members of the forum work together to promote water safety awareness, especially during summer and other peak times.
- Local partnerships: The Port of London Authority is also a member of the Essex partnership, focusing on water safety on the tidal Thames.
- Quarterly meetings: The forum holds regular meetings to coordinate efforts and report on achievements.
As a county with a large coastline and waterway structure we strive to support all residents to have the knowledge and skills to enable access to safe enjoyment, in and around the water.
Still falling to recover from the aftermath of Covid-19, swimming proficiency and access to swimming is a key issue facing the young people of Essex today and a focus of a forum subgroup. We have worked hard to understand the challenges facing schools, families and CYP which contribute to this and now look to work at a system and community level to begin to create and sustain change.
