A LOCAL sports centre is including a range of special safety activities in its swimming lessons for national Drowning Prevention Week.

From June 19 to the 26, Dorchester Sports Centre, is backing the national Drowning Prevention Week campaign by including specific activities and content within all of its swim lessons and urging parents to make sure their children know how to stay safe and enjoy the water this summer.

Throughout the week every child that attends swimming lessons at Dorchester Sports Centre will take part in a range of water safe activities. These will include cold water shock activities, float tunnels to create wave swimming, current simulation.

Figures indicate that around 25 per cent of primary pupils leave school unable to swim, and experts fear that the enforced pool closures during the pandemic over the last year will leave many young people lacking the ability to swim or self-rescue.

1610, a non-profit making leisure trust, manages the Dorchester Sports Centre.

Ricky Hayes, head of aquatics and operations at 1610, said: “The Drowning Prevention Week campaign is crucial this year. Throughout 2020 and 2021, young people have missed out on the vital opportunity to swim, leaving a dramatic gap in swim lessons, school swimming and water safety education."

For more information on Dorchester Sports Centre swim lessons visit https://www.1610.org.uk/all-activities/swimming-lessons/