A mother has launched a charity in memory of her 13-year-old son, Dylan Ramsey, who drowned 10 years ago.
Mum, Beckie Ramsey, has launched ‘Doing it for Dylan’ on the eve of what would have been his 24th birthday.
The charity aims to raise awareness about water safety, support individual families, helping to fund counselling and therapy and to create learning material for schools.
Dylan was born almost 24 years ago.
— Doing it for Dylan (@DoingitforDylan) October 13, 2021
A 23 hour labour that I'll never ever get over. (my body changed forever)
13 years of life, love and memories that I'll never forget.
Without a doubt I feel privileged to be Dylan's mum but I don't half miss him. 💙💔 pic.twitter.com/qQ2knaCdip
It has set an initial fundraising target of £250,000 to fund three years of operations.
Its first patron is former olympic swimmer and television star, Sharron Davies, and its committee includes David Walker, who leads the drowning prevention programme at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.
The charity’s advisory board numbers a wealth of leading safety experts.
Dylan, a pupil at Parklands High School in Chorley, was a talented athlete who Beckie described as “a strong lad and a very capable swimmer”.
But when he and two friends went swimming in a local quarry on a hot July Sunday back in 2011, he got into trouble.
“They had been in the water for around 20 minutes, swimming around as hundreds of young lads do every single year,” said Beckie.
Dylan shouted for help and one friend called 999. A group of men planning on diving there saw his distress and ran down the hill, stripping off their clothes as they went, to help Dylan.
One pulled Dylan onto a small island in the quarry and started to perform CPR until the emergency services arrived.
But they were all too late. After having been under the water for just three minutes, Dylan was pronounced dead.
Well what a journey,we're launching as a charity! Its taken a decade to get here but we've finally made it, welcome to #DoingitforDylan's water safety charities first ever patron the amazing and very beautiful @sharrond62
— Doing it for Dylan (@DoingitforDylan) October 15, 2021
We have an equally amazing team. pic.twitter.com/DwNRJrEcQg
Beckie said: “When I walked into that mortuary and saw my beautiful first-born son lifeless, not breathing, not moving just looking perfect, I could not hold myself together.
“I hugged his chest and held him so tight. I sobbed and begged him to come back to us. I told him right there and then that I would not let his death be in vain.”
Beckie learned everything she could about drowning prevention and began a solo, self-funded safety campaign to help prevent other families going through such a harrowing experience.
She has spoken about water safety in schools, colleges, universities and meetings all around the country and has presented to more than 180,000 children.
Sharron Davies: “Swimming is the most amazing sport that can be a life-saver and fun for all the family from cradle to grave. But, we have to respect the water and understand that terrible things can happen when we least expect them.
“Doing it for Dylan is a wonderful charity, raising awareness and helping with constructive ways so we can make sure everyone is more aware of water safety.”
Find out more about the Doing it for Dylan charity and campaign on their Facebook page.
Social, newsletters, subscriptions and getting in touch...
You can follow the Lancashire Telegraph on social media, by joining us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
We also have dedicated Facebook groups on Crime & Court, Traffic & Travel, Nostalgia and our Lancashire Family page
If you want to make sure you don't miss the most important news stories every day, sign up to one of our free e-mail newsletters
Gain unlimited access to the Lancashire Telegraph website with a premium digital subscription - we are running a £2 for two months special offer
Or if you want the Telegraph newspaper delivered to your door, get in touch with our home delivery team or call us on 0800 953 0227
Finally, have you got a story for us? If so, contact our newsdesk at lancsnews@nqnw.co.uk or by using our online contribution form
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel