On World Drowning Prevention Day, July 25, water safety charity SwimTayka is supporting the global call to Unite to Turn the Tide against drowning.
Significant progress has been made over the last two decades, with the global drowning death rate falling by 38% since 2000. Yet, drowning remains a critical global issue, claiming more than 300,000 lives every year.
SwimTayka – which is headquartered in Wiltshire but works globally – is throwing its weight behind this year’s campaign launched by the World Health Organization (WHO), which serves as a vital call for everyone to recognise the role they can play in preventing drowning.
“A 38% drop in drowning deaths is a fantastic milestone, but 300,000 lives lost every year is still far too high,” said SwimTayka’s founder Bryan Avery.
“This World Drowning Prevention Day, we want to highlight that water safety belongs to everyone. By working closely with local communities to teach life-saving swimming skills, we see firsthand how collective action saves lives. We are proud to support this campaign and help turn the tide.”
This year’s campaign highlights that drowning prevention cannot be achieved by any single entity. SwimTayka joins the global movement in calling on every parent, worker, educator, regulator, and neighbour to recognise the part they can play, and act on it together.
Bryan said: “In communities, this means fostering grassroots awareness and securing open water sources. In education, it involves integrating vital water survival programmes into local school curricula. For workplaces and regulators, it requires implementing safer infrastructure and enforcing strict safety regulations. At home, it means ensuring parents and caregivers have access to swimming and water safety lessons for children.”
SwimTayka’s ongoing work aligns with this collaborative mission. The charity delivers free swimming lessons and environmental education to children globally and in the UK, working alongside local partners to teach drowning prevention skills.
For more information how SwimTayka is supporting the mission to turn the tide on drowning, visit https://swimtayka.org/.
