CHILDREN had fun in the water whilst learning to swim safely at Caernarfon.

North Wales youngsters aged between 7–14 were taught vital water safety skills at Plas Menai, the National Outdoor Centre for Wales, on Friday.

The children from Ysgol Y Gelli were taking part in the Swim Wales and the RNLI’s Swim Safe programme.

Free, hour-long sessions taught the young people how to swim safely outdoors, and what to do if they, or someone else, gets into difficulty in the water.

As well as taking part in Swim Safe, school children met a team from North Wales Fire and Rescue Môn SAR, to hear safety talks and demonstrations from the volunteers of Beaumaris RNLI.

They also took part in a beach clean and foraging session with the staff of Plas Menai.

Deputy Minister for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas also visited to learn more about the outdoor water safety programme.

The Swim Safe programme aims to support the UK Drowning Prevention Strategy’s aim of reducing accidental drowning by 50 per cent by 2026, to which Swim Wales and the RNLI are committed as members of the National Water Safety Forum. Each Swim safe sessions is run by qualified instructors, lifeguards and volunteers.

Hope Filby from Swim Safe Wales, says: ‘Children love swimming outdoors, but it’s very different to swimming in a pool, where most children learn to swim.

‘It’s essential children learn about open water safety – where it is safe to swim, how to stay safe and what to do if they get into difficulty in the water.

‘We want all children to have access to this training, so all Swim Safe sessions are funded by the RNLI and Swim Wales partnership and so are completely free of charge.”

For information about Swim Safe see swimsafe.org.uk