Water safety - Petition of the Year 2023

Published 13/06/2023   |   Last Updated 06/11/2024   |   Reading Time minutes

A petition to improve water safety and prevent drowning.

“Mark Allen, aged 18, drowned after jumping into a freezing reservoir on a hot day in June 2018… We want to save lives and save people from going through the heartbreak and tragedy of losing someone they love to drowning.” – Leeanne Bartley, Petitioner

The petition raised awareness of:

  • The challenges and action needed to increase water safety and prevent drowning.
  • The devastating impact drowning tragedies have on families.

What happened?

  • The Committee heard evidence from Water Safety Wales, water utilities companies, The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), and Natural Resources Wales.
  • Petition was debated in the Senedd and received cross-party support.
  • Welsh Government accepted five recommendations including appointing a specific Minister to lead on water safety and drowning prevention, and to develop a water safety awareness campaign.

 


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