New water safety campaign drives 'don't be a hero' message across RBWM

A major campaign about the dangers of open water will show young people that ‘teamwork matters more’ than individual bravery when facing high-risk environments.

Leisure Focus officially launches the River and Open Water Safety and Drowning Prevention campaign in the Royal Borough today (Friday).

The charitable trust that operates Braywick and Windsor Leisure Centres has partnered with the Maidenhead Advertiser once again to raise awareness on staying safe around rivers, lakes, and open water.

Several young lives have been tragically lost in the River Thames, the Jubilee River, and other open water sites across East Berkshire and South Bucks in recent years.

This joint initiative, now in its fourth year, runs until September and educates school pupils to prevent further incidents by informing and equipping them with essential safety knowledge.

Leisure Focus sports inclusion and partnership manager Jatinder Singh Rakhra said: “This campaign continues to evolve year after year.

“Each time, we find new ways to reach more young people and make a stronger impact.

“By working with schools, emergency services, and the local community, we’re not only raising awareness – we’re changing behaviours and, ultimately, helping to save lives.”

This year’s message adds the phrase ‘don't be a hero’ to the existing ‘don’t become a memory’ tagline from previous campaigns.

Jatinder told the Advertiser that this creates ‘strong emotional resonance’ and increases engagement.

“The goal is to remind individuals, especially those in high-risk environments, that safety, procedure and teamwork matter more than personally trying to be brave,” he added.

“This message directly addresses the tendency some people have to put themselves in danger to help others without the proper support or training.”

The Maidenhead Advertiser will publish educational articles throughout the summer to help spread this vital message.

As part of the initiative, a powerful 10-minute interactive video produced by the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) will also be shown to secondary school students.

The video highlights the hidden dangers of open water and promotes the 'Float to Live' technique, a life-saving strategy that can help people stay calm and survive if they get into trouble in the water.

The Leisure Focus YouTube video is designed for school classrooms or assemblies and delivers key water safety messages in an educational and engaging format.

Last year, the river safety campaign received a social media overhaul to promote this ‘hard-hitting’ video by targeting school pupils on Instagram and their parents on Facebook.

Jatinder said this was ‘one of the most successful aspects of last year’s campaign’ and significantly boosted reach and engagement.

“This year, we’re building on that momentum with new content formats, including short-form video, real-life scenario simulations, and interactive safety challenges,” he added.

The team aims to get the campaign out there before secondary pupils finish exams and school next month, and encourage young people not to risk their lives by swimming in open water.

Focusing on safety awareness, banners provided by Maidenhead-based company Printique will be displayed at leisure centres and in various ‘high-risk open water areas’ around the Royal Borough based on historic incidents and the potential risks the area poses to people.

These include Ray Mill Island, Guards Club, Boulters Lock, Baths Island, Bray Lake and Cock Marsh.

The campaign also supports RLSS UK’s Drowning Prevention Week, a national initiative from Saturday, June 14 to Saturday, June 21, where schools receive educational resources to support water safety learning.

Special 30-minute assemblies will be held for primary pupils on Monday, June 16, at Cox Green Theatre and on Wednesday, June 18, at Braywick Leisure Centre.

These sessions will focus on the Water Safety Code, teaching children what can go wrong in the water and what to do in an emergency.

Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service will support the campaign’s key messages at both locations and deliver a live demonstration at Braywick Leisure Centre, helping to illustrate the importance of water safety and how to respond effectively in a real-life emergency.