BLUETONIC SWIM SAFE

Helping children stay safe around water and discover the benefits of blue spaces.

Bluetonic brought Swim Safe to the East Midlands for the first time, successfully securing funding through the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Fund via the National Lottery. Since launching the programme in 2022, we have since supported over 3,500 children to develop their water safety knowledge and confidence.

Swim Safe is a free, one-hour water safety session for children aged 7–14, created by Swim England and the RNLI. While the programme is traditionally delivered at coastal locations, Bluetonic is passionate about bringing this essential education inland, where children and families also live, play and spend time around open water.

Why is Swim Safe important?

Inland waterways, including rivers, lakes, canals and reservoirs, present significant risks. Many people who get into difficulty around water live inland, making it essential that children understand the dangers and know how to keep themselves and others safe.

The National Water Safety Forum's Water Incident Database (WAID) has consistently highlighted the dangers of inland open water, which accounts for a significant proportion of accidental drowning deaths.

Our sessions take a proactive, educational approach to water safety. Children learn to recognise hazards, understand the risks of open water and develop the knowledge to make safer decisions around water. We also encourage them to share these important messages with their friends, families and wider communities, extending the programme's impact beyond each individual session.

Where do we deliver Swim Safe?

We continue to deliver Swim Safe at Spring Lakes Water Park in Long Eaton, whose support has helped make these sessions accessible to local children.

We are also delighted to be expanding our delivery to New Bath Hotel & Spa in Matlock Bath, providing further opportunities for children across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire to access this important education.

By delivering sessions in accessible inland locations, we aim to reach more children and families who might otherwise miss out on essential water safety education.

Beyond water safety: Blue Mind and wellbeing

At Bluetonic, our work goes beyond keeping children safe. We believe everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of spending time in, on and around water.

Our Swim Safe sessions provide an opportunity for children and their families to connect safely with their local blue spaces, build confidence and discover how being around water and nature can support their mental health and wellbeing. Inspired by the concept of Blue Mind, we encourage families to stay active, explore their local environment and develop a positive, lifelong relationship with water.

By combining essential water safety education with an introduction to the benefits of blue spaces, we aim to help create safer, healthier and more confident communities.

Booking Swim Safe

Swim Safe sessions are free and available during the spring and summer months, when our programme is running. Bookings are available until the end of September each year.

Please note: the booking link below is only available during the spring and summer delivery season, until the end of September.