A number of agencies are uniting, alongside the families of those affected by drowning to promote water safety and prevent further tragedies.
The Home and Dry campaign is backed a number of partners including West Mercia Police, Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, the West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner, West Mercia Search and Rescue, RLSS UK, RNLI and Severn Trent Water.
Collectively the campaign aims to encourage people to be aware of the dangers, and to develop and share educational resources to ensure water safety is embedded in people’s minds from an early age. Extensive resources have been developed for use in classrooms since the campaign first began in 2017, with the ultimate aim that water safety would have a greater part in the National Curriculum.
The families of Tom Jones, who lost his life in the River Severn in Worcester in 2018, and Shane Walsh who lost his life to the River Severn in Shrewsbury in 2017 have continued to back the campaign, calling for the sharing of water safety messages to prevent other families experiencing what they have been through.
On World Drowning Prevention Day 2025 (25th July) agencies came together in Worcester and Ironbridge to re-launch the campaign, with demonstrations from key agencies highlighting how people can keep themselves safe, enjoy the water safety and know what to do if they do get into trouble in the water.
For water safety advice and resources visit:
- RLSS UK- Education Resources: Water Safety Education Resources for Schools
- Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (Linked to RLSS UK) Water Safety | Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service
- Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service (Linked to RLSS UK) Water Safety | Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service (including Makaton resources)
- RNLI: Float To Live – What To Do In An Emergency – RNLI
Campaign materials
