Surf Life Saving GB is committed to ensuring that our lifesaving, training, sport and community programmes are informed by evidence and aligned with national water safety priorities.
Through participation in water safety forums and collaboration with partners across Great Britain and Northern Ireland, we contribute to research, policy discussions and sector-wide initiatives that aim to reduce drowning and strengthen water safety education.
Surf Life Saving GB is engaged in water safety networks and forums across the United Kingdom.
Through involvement in Water Safety Forums and multi-agency working groups, we contribute frontline insight drawn from:
This ensures that national conversations around water safety and drowning prevention reflect real-world experience from beaches and waterways across the UK.
Our operational experience contributes to sector-wide understanding of:
Drowning risk factors
Coastal and inland water hazards
Preventative intervention strategies
Community-based safety education
Behaviour change around open water activity
By sharing insight from patrols, rescues and preventative interventions, we help inform water safety messaging and best practice.
Research into youth development and water confidence informs our structured training pathways.
Areas of focus include:
Early water confidence and skill progression
Risk awareness education
Inclusive participation
Physical literacy through lifesaving sport
Leadership and resilience development
Our programmes are designed to build not just technical ability, but lifelong safety awareness and personal growth.
Our clubs collect and report operational data including:
Preventative interventions
Reactive rescues
First aid responses
Missing persons reports
This data contributes to wider water safety understanding and supports evidence-based improvements to patrol models and training requirements.
By analysing trends and patterns, we refine how and where resources are deployed.
Effective water safety is not only about rescue — it is about prevention.
We contribute to discussions around:
Community-led safety models
Volunteer sustainability
Behaviour change campaigns
Engagement with high-risk groups
Education through sport and participation
Our experience demonstrates the power of locally embedded clubs in influencing safe behaviour and building long-term resilience.