Campaigns

Float to Live

The RNLI’s Float to Live campaign offers a simple, life-saving message: However you end up in the water, if you end up in difficulty, Float to Live.

Float to Live

1. Tit your head back submerging your ears
2. Relax and control your breathing
3. Move your hands and legs to help you stay afloat
4. Your legs may sink – that’s OK everyone floats differently
5. Practice floating at a supervised location like a swimming pool

This technique helps you regain control of your breathing and gives you time to assess your situation or call for help. Cold water shock is a real danger in Welsh waters year-round, and floating can be the difference between life and death. Practise floating in a safe environment and share the advice, it could save a life.

Respect The Water

Respect The Water is the National Water Safety Forum's umbrella campaign for public-facing water safety campaigns and messages. These campaigns focus on educating people on how to enjoy the water safely and the actions they should take in an emergency. Respect The Water is also used to amplify and cross-promote a number of other national campaigns delivered by our partners.

One such campaign is Call Tell Throw

If you see someone in trouble in the water, the best way you can help is by staying calm, staying on land, and following the 3-step rescue guide

• Call 999 and ask for the right service
• Tell them to float on their back
• Throw them something that floats

One Last Breath / Beautiful but Deadly

Dŵr Cymru’s One Last Breath campaign delivers a powerful message: reservoirs may look beautiful, but they are deadly. Hidden machinery, freezing temperatures, and remote locations make unauthorised swimming extremely dangerous. The campaign shares real stories, like that of Reuben Morgan, to highlight the tragic consequences. It urges people to find safe, supervised swimming options and respect safety signage.

Be Adventure Smart

Be Adventure Smart is a national campaign that began in Wales and encourages people to plan ahead before heading outdoors. Whether hiking, paddling, or swimming, the campaign asks three key questions: Do I have the right gear? Do I know the weather forecast? Do I have the skills for the day? With Wales offering stunning but challenging landscapes, being Adventure Smart helps reduce avoidable incidents and ensures a safe, enjoyable experience.

Coast Clever

Launched by HM Coastguard, Coast Clever is a seasonal campaign that helps people stay safe along the coastline. It focuses on common coastal hazards like tidal cut-offs, unstable cliffs, offshore winds, and hidden mudflats. With thousands of incidents reported annually, the campaign urges visitors to check tide times, avoid risky shortcuts, and carry a charged mobile phone. Whether you're walking, paddling, or exploring, being "coast clever" means planning ahead and knowing what to do in an emergency.

Don't Drink and Drown

The Don’t Drink and Drown campaign by RLSS UK targets the risks of alcohol and water, a deadly combination. In Wales, where rivers, canals, and coastal paths are often part of night-time routes home, the campaign urges people to look out for friends and avoid walking near water after drinking. Nearly half of accidental drownings among 18–25-year-olds involve alcohol. The message is clear: plan a safe route, stay together, and #BeAMate.

Be Water Aware

Led by the National Fire Chiefs Council, Be Water Aware is a spring campaign that raises awareness of accidental drownings, especially in inland waters. In Wales, where rivers, lakes, and reservoirs are popular for recreation, the campaign reminds us that most drownings happen when people had no intention of entering the water. It promotes practical advice, like Float to Live, calling 999, and never attempting a rescue yourself.

Drowning Prevention Week

Organised by RLSS UK, Drowning Prevention Week is one of the UK’s largest water safety campaigns, timed ahead of the school summer holidays. It provides free resources for families, schools, and leisure centres to teach children aged 5–15 how to stay safe around water. In Wales, where outdoor play near water is common, the campaign helps embed the Water Safety Code and encourages everyone to have the water safety conversation.

World Drowning Prevention Day

Declared by the United Nations World Health Organisation, World Drowning Prevention Day is observed annually on 25 July. It’s a global call to action to prevent drowning, which claims over 236,000 lives each year. In Wales, it’s a chance to reflect on local tragedies and promote proven interventions, like swimming education and practicing floating as a lifesaving skill. Water Safety Wales supports this day by amplifying awareness and encouraging community engagement.

Water Safety for Little Explorers

Created by the Canal & River Trust, Water Safety for Little Explorers helps parents and carers introduce water safety to children under five. With fun resources like songs, puppets, and the story “Quack Quack, Take Two Steps Back,” the campaign makes safety engaging and memorable. In Wales, where families often enjoy canals and rivers, these tools are perfect for nurseries and home learning