More must be done to prevent deaths due to drowning in Wales, a Senedd committee has found. The issue has been investigated after a mum from north Wales campaigned for better water safety and drowning prevention in Wales
Leeanne Bartley’s son, Mark Allen, died after jumping into cold water at Gorton Reservoir, Manchester, in June 2018. Since then, she has campaigned tirelessly for better water safety measures in Wales and across the UK, including the petitions calling for rescue equipment to be mandatory.
Ms Bartley, from Ruthin, said she was determined to keep a promise she made as she saw her son's body that she would do all she could to stop anyone else dying in the same way. "We weren't able to see Mark until two days after he died. When I saw him I leaned over and made a promise I would do all I can to fight to make things safer for other people. I feel like it’s so important and so worthwhile as Mark wanted to change his little world.
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"He was always trying to get people to feel better. By me carrying on in this way it’s a positive legacy for him. We are trying to get a law passed that places throwline stations around all bodies of open water in Wales. It’s hard but I do not give up," she told WalesOnline. You can read her story here.
Her petition to the Senedd got 11,000 signatures and led to a report by the petitions committee. Statistics show around 50 people a year lose their lives to water-related fatalities in Wales every year and during the seven months the Committee was investigating the issue, at least three young people died from drowning in Wales.
The committee's report has now been published and found drowning prevention measures are hindered by a lack of coordination from the Welsh Government. The issue of water safety does not fall under one specific minister’s responsibility and straddles various Government departments.
Measures to increase awareness of the dangers posed by water and to improve water safety – including allocating a specific minister to lead this work are among the recommendations. That would help choose one consistent educational message across all of Wales – which experts say is crucial for preventing drowning deaths.
"Clear leadership and coordination from Welsh Government, these campaigns can reach even more people and ultimately, prevent deaths. We must do better as a country, and I hope this report will give a boost to all those working hard to do so," said head of the petitions committee Jack Sargeant.
Chris Cousens, Chair of Water Safety Wales said: "The rate of accidental drowning per head of population here in Wales is around double that of the UK as a whole. The number of accidental drowning deaths, sadly, is also higher than the number of deaths in fires, for example, motorcycle accidents and cycling—three other very high-profile causes of accidental deaths."
Water Safety Wales brings together individuals and organisations with an interest in water safety and drowning prevention. It worked with the Welsh Government to develop the Wales Drowning Prevention Strategy 2020-2026, with the aim to reduce the number of water-related deaths in Wales reduced to zero. However, it was noted in the inquiry that this partnership with the Welsh Government needs to be formalised and funding arrangements secured to enable Water Safety Wales to deliver this important work.
The committee heard about the challenges of installing, maintaining and using throw lines effectively and recognised that they are one of a range of safety measures to consider to mitigate the risks identified in water, and can in some circumstances give a false sense of security.
Ms Bartley said: "The report is even more than we could have asked for when we started the petition – I’m so thankful to the Senedd for hearing our story and listening to us and the other families that have been affected by drowning deaths but there is still work to be done and I will carry on campaigning – I hope Welsh Government takes these recommendations on board and continues to work with us on water safety."
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